The opening ceremony of the Kiang Wu Nursing and Health Teaching and Research Centre and the Kiang Wu Vocational Skills Training School in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin was held on 7 November. The official launch of the two platforms marks an important step for Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau (KWNC) in deepening Hengqin-Macao teaching and research collaboration, advancing cross-border talent development, and supporting national development strategies. The platforms will inject new momentum into the high-quality development of health services and the wellness industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The ceremony was attended by representatives from government departments, healthcare institutions, education sectors and professional organisations in Guangdong and Macao.
Building a Cross-Border Platform for Talent Development and Standards Alignment
Supported by the quality teaching and research resources of KWNC, the Kiang Wu Nursing and Health Teaching and Research Centre in Hengqin focuses on nursing, older adult care and public health. It aims to serve as a platform for clinical learning, continuing education and professional training.

The Centre will continue to introduce internationally accredited courses, with a focus on developing professionals in older adult health, dementia care and palliative care. It will also promote the incubation and transformation of research outcomes, strengthening the integration of industry, academia and research.

The Kiang Wu Vocational Skills Training School was established in response to population ageing and the growing demand for regional health services. It will offer diverse vocational

skills courses and certification programmes in nursing and health. It will also take part in developing vocational skills standards, training systems and assessment mechanisms for older adult care and home care services, helping to train more high-quality health and wellness professionals for Hengqin and Macao.

Leveraging Macao’s Strengths to Support Health Talent Development in the Greater Bay Area
In his speech, Lau Veng Seng, Chair of the College Council, said the College has built close cooperation networks with universities and medical institutions in Mainland China over the years. It has continued to deepen exchanges in teaching, research, clinical learning and talent development.

He noted that since its establishment, the Kiang Wu Nursing and Health Teaching and Research Centre has successfully launched professional courses accredited by Dementia International, attracting nearly 200 participants. This reflects the strong demand for professional health care talent training in the Greater Bay Area.

Lau said the Centre and the Training School will fully leverage Macao’s unique role as a bridge to the international community. They will continue to introduce internationally accredited courses and professional training resources, promote talent development, research innovation and outcome transformation in nursing, older adult care and public health, and support talent mobility, resource sharing and service standards alignment between Hengqin and Macao.

He added that the two platforms will empower the high-quality development of health and wellness services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Introducing Quality International Resources to Enhance Health Care Services in Hengqin

Feng Fangdan, Director of the Livelihood Affairs Bureau of the Cooperation Zone, said KWNC has been deeply engaged in nursing education for more than a century. The College has accumulated rich experience in nursing education, dementia care, end-of-life care and community health services, and has long contributed to the development of healthcare and older adult care in Macao.

She said the official opening of the Kiang Wu Nursing and Health Teaching and Research Centre and the Kiang Wu Vocational Skills Training School marks a new stage in professional nursing training and health care service development in the Cooperation Zone.

Feng noted that the two institutions will introduce internationally accredited courses and quality training resources to Hengqin, while integrating Macao’s international and professional strengths. They will create a new platform for health care talent development in the Cooperation Zone and further strengthen the foundation of livelihood services.

She added that the Livelihood Affairs Bureau will continue to support the development of KWNC in the Cooperation Zone, help train more high-quality health care professionals, promote livelihood integration between Hengqin and Macao, and support the development of health services in the Greater Bay Area.

Deepening Collaboration Through Agreement Exchange

During the ceremony, KWNC exchanged cooperation agreements with Zunyi Medical University and Guangdong-Macao Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Industrial Park Development Co., Ltd.

The agreements will further deepen cooperation in talent development, research collaboration

and health industry development. They will also promote the coordinated development of medical and nursing education and the health industry in the Greater Bay Area.

Looking ahead, the Kiang Wu Nursing and Health Teaching and Research Centre and the Kiang Wu Vocational Skills Training School will make full use of the Hengqin-Macao cooperation platform. They will continue to advance talent development, professional training, research innovation and community health education.

The two platforms will also promote the alignment of nursing service standards between Hengqin and Macao, enabling residents in both places to enjoy high-quality and consistent health services. They will contribute to the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin as an international health island, support livelihood integration between Hengqin and Macao, and promote the high-quality development of health services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Representatives from relevant departments of the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and the Macao SAR Government also attended the ceremony. Members of the Board of Directors and advisors of KWNC, as well as representatives from the medical, nursing, older adult care and education sectors, were also present to witness the official launch of the two platforms.