[Interview Highlights with Honorary Doctor of MUST] Mr. George Yong-Boon Yeo: Serving Macao, Connecting the World — Building a World-Class University on the Foundation of Talent
Back[Interview Highlights with Honorary Doctor of MUST]
Mr. George Yong-Boon Yeo: Serving Macao, Connecting the World — Building a World-Class University on the Foundation of Talent
Mr. George Yong-Boon YEO
Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Singapore
Visiting Scholar, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore
Founding Patron, Asia Competitiveness Institute of the National University of Singapore
Distinguished Nonresident Fellow
Centre on Contemporary China and the World at the Hong Kong University
2026 Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences of MUST
Mr. George Yong-Boon Yeo, former Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, Visiting Scholar at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, founding sponsor of the Asia Competitiveness Institute, and Distinguished Nonresident Fellow at the Contemporary China and the World Research Center, University of Hong Kong, was awarded the 2026 Honorary Doctor of Social Sciences degree by Macau University of Science and Technology on the occasion of its 26th anniversary.
[Macao: An Important Gateway for China’s Engagement with the World]
Regarding Macao’s urban positioning, Mr. Yeo believes that the city plays a significant role in promoting economic and trade cooperation both within and beyond the region. “As early as two thousand years ago, Central Plains culture spread southward along the Pearl River basin, extending through the Pearl River Delta to Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. Macao continues this historical role of the Pearl River basin, serving as an important gateway for China’s engagement with the world, particularly in exchanges and cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries.”
“Portuguese-speaking countries and regions include not only Portugal but also Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Goa, East Timor, and others. Among them, Portugal and Brazil are the most important,” Mr. Yeo shared. “Portugal is part of Europe and was the earliest seafaring nation to venture beyond Europe across the oceans. Brazil is a major country, ranking fifth in the world by land area and first in Latin America by economic strength. It possesses the resource-rich Amazon rainforest and boasts a formidable national football team. Therefore, I believe it is of great value for China to connect with the Portuguese-speaking world through Macao. Macao should continue to maintain Portuguese-language and cultural education so that people from Portuguese-speaking countries feel at home here.”
[Suggestions for MUST’s Development: Attracting Talent and Creating Unique Appeal Are Key]
As a university founded after Macao’s return to the motherland, Macau University of Science and Technology, like Macao itself, bears the responsibility and mission of connecting China with the world — especially the Portuguese-speaking countries. If MUST is to better serve Macao’s development, Mr. Yeo emphasizes that talent attraction is crucial. “As a private university, MUST enjoys greater flexibility in university management and talent recruitment. It can bring in outstanding scholars from around the world, and through these excellent scholars, it can connect to more and better resources.”
Beyond talent attraction, how to create a distinctive appeal unique to MUST is another pressing issue. “Students who come here to study could choose Hong Kong, Singapore, or other universities in the Chinese Mainland. Why do they choose this place? What makes this campus stand out? This is something worth deep reflection.”
[Talent Cultivation: Cultivating the Ability to Ask Questions Is Most Important]
In terms of talent cultivation, Mr. Yeo believes that developing students’ ability to ask good questions is of paramount importance. “We now live in the era of artificial intelligence, where almost any question can be answered quickly by AI. The key lies in whether you can ask the right questions.” If you are good at asking questions, AI tools will become your valuable assistant; otherwise, AI will be of little use to you. “The key to asking the right questions is whether you possess creative and interesting thinking.”
[Message to MUST: Building an International Support Network to Become a World-Class Institution]
Mr. Yeo noted that the conferral of honorary doctorates is not only a recognition of individuals but also a powerful measure to help the university build an international support network. “There is talent, ambition, and vision here. As long as we persist, in another five, ten, or twenty years, Macau University of Science and Technology will surely continue to rise in global rankings and become a world-renowned top university. This is my hope and blessing for Macau University of Science and Technology.”