Macao has placed an emphasis on research-oriented education and technological innovation in higher education since its return to China in 1999, said Chen Jimin, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

Chen, secretary-general of the Board of Directors at the Macau University of Science and Technology, made the remarks at the Members' Corridor ahead of the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee on Wednesday.

Since the establishment of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), the number of students receiving higher education in the city has increased from 8,000 to over 62,000 today, Chen noted. Among them, more than 9,000 students are currently pursuing undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees in science and technology-related majors. The number of university researchers has also increased from 13 to 1,773, a 136-fold increase.

Four national key laboratories have been established in the SAR, covering fields including Chinese medicine, microelectronics, Internet of Things for smart cities, and lunar and planetary sciences, said Chen.

"It is now building a high-level international talent hub that gathers global wisdom and connects domestic and international collaborative innovation," she said.

Relying on universities and national key laboratories, young scientists have rapidly developed through participation in major national projects, and an increasing number of top international scientists are also establishing themselves in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

"Scientific research has enabled personal growth for all, while greatly inspiring their sense of pride and emotional identification with the country's technological strength," said Chen.