The Graduation Ceremony of Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau for the 2009/2010 academic year was held at 2:30 P.m. on Sept. 25 at the auditorium of Kiang Wu Hospital. The cohort of graduates including forty-seven from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programme, twenty-five from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Supplementary) Programme and the first six from the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Nursing Programme. The officiating guests of honor present at the Ceremony were Acting Chief Executive Florinda Chan of Macao SAR, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR Government Cheong U, Director Liu Xiao Hang of Culture and Education Department of Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, Acting Director Chan Wai Sin of Health Bureau, Deputy Director Kok Sio Lai of Tertiary Education Services Office, Administration Council Member Au Weng Chi of Macao Foundation, Cluster Chief Executive CHEUNG Wai-lun, Vice President Li Mengfeng of Sun Yat-Sen University and Dean You Liming of School of Nursing SYSU, Dean Huaping Liu of School of Nursing Peking Union Medical College, KWNC Board of Directors Honorary Vice-Chairman Hoi Sai Un, Chairman Ma Iao Lai and Vice-Chairman Ho Va Tim, Secretary-General Ng Pui Kun of Kiang Wu Hospital Charitable Association and KWNC President Van Iat Kio, etc. The VIP guests, students’ parents and friends as well as alumni attendees totals around six hundred. The Ceremony began with a dignified and solemn atmosphere.

In his address Secretary Cheong U expressed affirmative appreciation to KWNC for her cultivation of great numbers of nursing professional talents for years for the society. The government has paid much attention to the residents’ health by providing not only the best medical environment but also sound prevention and rehabilitation services. Therefore the government is prepared to build an island hospital and health centre, where more nursing workers will be needed. In view of the crucial shortage of nursing manpower, the authority will increase investment of relevant resources and plan to raise the nurse-to-resident ratio within decade.

Chairman Ma Iao Lai reported the significant growth in KWNC involving many aspects such as programme level, faculty level, pedagogic and research competencies, etc. Under a prerequisite direction to maintain the quality of teaching, Kiang Wu Hospital Charitable Association is going to give full support to the College for an admission expansion step by step, so as to cope with the SAR city construction development and civil society’s urgent appeal for nursing services. The College will develop a multilevel programme system focusing on nursing profession within the category of health science and continue to cultivate more quality nursing workers for Macau SAR and social public. He thanked the Central and SAR Government, Liaison Office, social communities and all walks of life for their kind support and assistance to the College.

President Van Iat Kio indicated the satisfactory achievements having been attained by the College in management, teaching, scientific research and social service fields during the previous year. Further to the PDAN Programme jointly organized with the the Hospital Authority Hong Kong in 2008, four more programmes will be on the running schedule this year. Meanwhile, a Master of Nursing Science Programme in collaboration with Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou has been launched to cultivate more advanced-level nursing talents. The nurse shortage has brought serious impact on society for harmonious development. The College is planning to provide a good range of multilevel nursing and health science programmes or courses to progressively adjust programme structure while speeding up cooperation with various tertiary institutions in Macau and neighboring areas to get mutual complementary strength, so that talents of practical type with international perspective can be nurtured to meet local needs. To tackle with the trend of population aging, the College has establish a Nursing and Health Education Research Centre taking elderly health issue as major concern while giving consideration to other health factors. In this connection, the objective of teaching, research and social service as an organic whole can be realized. However the College premises area is far too inadequate to face future development that it needs more support and helps from the SAR Government and society.

At the Ceremony, Chairman Ma conducts presentation of Bachelor’s Degrees and Certificates to all graduates. Then came the presentation of scholarship by all the sponsors including Macao SAR Government Health Bureau, Bank of China Macau Charitable Foundation, HSBC, Henry Fok Foundation, Nam Kwong Education Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Lei Hon Kei, Leong Ieong Iok Fu’s representative and Adviser Chau Kam Leng’s representative, etc.