The Department of Government and Public Administration (DGPA) of the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) at the University of Macau (UM) recently hosted the Macau Forum on Global and Public Affairs 2025: Modernizing Governance in the Digital Era. The forum attracted experts, scholars, and policy researchers from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao to engage in profound interdisciplinary dialogue on the integration of digital technologies and public governance.
The opening ceremony featured a speech by Prof. Weixing Hu, dean of FSS, who emphasized the transformative impact of digitalization on reshaping global governance systems and highlighted the importance of cross-regional dialogue in addressing governance challenges. The forum offered a comprehensive programme, featuring four keynote speeches and five thematic panel discussions. The keynote sessions brought together distinguished scholars, including Dong Wang from Peking University, Jing Huang from Shanghai International Studies University, Yijia Jing from Fudan University, and Xiaohu Wang from City University of Hong Kong. They shared research findings and practical insights on cutting-edge topics such as opportunities and challenges in digital transformation and AI empowerment. The keynote sessions were moderated by Bo Wen, assistant dean of FSS.
The five sub-forums were chaired by faculty members of the Department of Government and Public Administration, including Weiwen Yin, Hang Qi, Boyuan Zhao, Man Xu, and Shuwen Zhang. Discussions covered global and cross-border perspectives on governance, local governance and service delivery, digital governance and bureaucracy reform, ethics, accountability and public integrity, and innovations in research methodology. Through academic presentations, Q&A sessions, and interactive exchanges, participants engaged in in-depth discussions on pressing issues, showcasing the depth and practical value of interdisciplinary research.
Participants generally agreed that the development of digital technologies presents unprecedented opportunities and challenges for governance practices and research. Scholars in political science and public administration should work together to advance the modernization of China’s governance system and capacity and contribute to building an independent Chinese knowledge system. The forum served as an important platform for academic exchange in public affairs across mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, effectively fostering intellectual dialogue and mutual learning.
In his closing remarks, Yonghong Wu, head of the Department of Government and Public Administration, noted that the success of the forum provides new perspectives and directions for academic research and policy practice. Moving forward, the department will continue to focus on key topics such as digital governance and regional cooperation, promote more high-level international academic exchanges, and strengthen Macao’s role as an academic bridge, contributing wisdom and strength to the modernization of governance in China and globally.
