Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau (KWNC) held its 2026/2027 Academic Year Convocation Ceremony today, welcoming over 300 new students. The total number of students enrolled in its higher education programmes has exceeded 900, marking a historic high for the College.
 
In the new academic year, the College will continue to offer its Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing, Master of Advanced Nursing Practice, Master of Applied Gerontology, and Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing) programmes, as well as the “Hunan-Macao Joint Master’s Training Programme in Nursing” in collaboration with Hunan Normal University. In addition, the College has launched a new Master of Nursing Management Programme, in response to the pressing demand for management and leadership talent in the sector, further enhancing its talent cultivation system.
 
The ceremony also marked the announcement that Professor Arthur Li Kwok-Cheung has been invited to serve as Advisor to the College, providing guidance on its institutional development. Professor Li is a recipient of the Grand Bauhinia Medal, Gold Bauhinia Star and Justice of the Peace. He formerly served as Chair Professor of Surgery and Founding Chairman of the Department of Surgery, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, and Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He later served as Secretary for Education and Manpower of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and has made outstanding contributions to medical education and higher education management.
 
In her address, Professor Van Iat Kio, President of the College, reviewed the College’s fruitful achievements over the past year. She noted that the opening of the Kiang Wu Nursing and Health Teaching and Research Centre in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin marked an important step for the College in integrating into the country’s overall development. The College has also achieved remarkable results in talent cultivation. Its latest cohort of graduates attained a 100% pass rate in the Macao nurse licensing examination, while more than 100 graduates achieved excellent results in the Nursing Licensing Examination in Mainland China. Students of the College will also travel to Shanghai in September to compete in the final round of the 48th WorldSkills Competition, showcasing the excellence of Kiang Wu nursing students and Macao’s youth on the international stage.
 
Looking ahead to the new academic year, Professor Van encouraged new students to remain true to their original aspirations and act with determination amid the opportunities brought by Macao’s “1+4” development strategy. She urged them to uphold the essence of humanity, make good use of the power of technology, and internalise the spirit of “From Personhood to Benevolence”, so as to become outstanding nursing professionals in the new era.
 
During the “Leadership Talk” session of the ceremony, Professor Arthur K. C. Li encouraged new students to have the courage to pursue their dreams. Drawing on his many years of experience in higher education, he urged students not only to complete their studies, but also to look inward and outward, discover their next dream, and let clear goals guide the direction of their lives. He emphasised that nursing is an applied discipline that integrates science and humanities. In the era of smart healthcare and digitalisation, students must continue to acquire new knowledge, break through existing frameworks, and respond to complex challenges such as population ageing with innovative thinking.
 
A number of awards and appointment certificates were also presented during the ceremony to recognise teachers, students and partner organisations for their outstanding performance in teaching and clinical practice. Appointment certificates were presented to affiliated mentors and clinical teaching bases, followed by the Best Clinical Nursing Teacher Award, the Best Clinical Teaching Department Award, and various student scholarships. The Best Clinical Nursing Teacher Award was presented to five nursing staff members, three from Kiang Wu Hospital, and two from the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. The Best Clinical Teaching Department Award was presented to Departments 10N, 12N and 9S of Kiang Wu Hospital.
 
In addition, the College introduced student medals this year to recognise students’ outstanding performance in academic achievement and whole-person development. The medals affirm students’ all-round growth in areas such as classroom engagement, service contribution, leadership demonstration and project execution, fully reflecting the College’s educational philosophy of nurturing nursing talents “From Personhood to Benevolence”.