The Faculty of Finance at City University of Macau for the academic year 2023/2024 has achieved a record high number of admissions, with 29 doctoral students, 99 master's students, and 263 undergraduate students. To assist the new students in integrating into the college community, understanding campus and faculty activities, as well as acquiring information on various aspects of learning and campus life at the university, the Faculty of Finance organized a freshmen orientation on September 8th. The event was attended by Dean Adrian Cheung, Associate Dean Eva Khong, Professor Zhou Yonghong, director of the doctoral program, Associate Professor Yang Ting, director of the master's program, Assistant Professor Lin Deqin, director of the undergraduate program, and several other faculty members from the Faculty of Finance.

Dean Cheung delivered the opening speech, extending a warm welcome to the new students. He briefly introduced the development history of the Faculty of Finance and outlined its future direction. In recent years, the academic level and teaching quality of the faculty have continuously improved, gaining widespread recognition in society. The dean also mentioned that the faculty is in the process of planning and applying for several new programs, including Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Financial Technology, Master's in Financial Analysis, and a Ph.D. in Economics. This highlights the faculty’s emphasis on practical innovation in its curriculum. The faculty is committed to continuously enhancing its academic standards and teaching quality, aiming to provide the best learning environment and resources to the students. The dean expressed the hope that the students would integrate into and actively participate in the development of the faculty.

Associate Dean Eva Khong also warmly welcomed the new students and highlighted the faculty’s distinctive feature of implementing a model that combines industry, academia, and research to cultivate financial talent. The Faculty of Finance currently collaborates extensively with the financial industry in Macau and Hengqin, as well as renowned universities both domestically and internationally. Examples of these collaborations include inviting experts, scholars, and executives to give lectures and participate in forums, organizing study visits, providing summer research opportunities, and fostering joint research projects between companies and faculty members. These activities demonstrate the faculty’s commitment to experiential learning as its core teaching approach, while implementing the industry-academia-research model to cultivate financial talent in Macau. The Faculty of Finance provides a platform for diversified development and aims to nurture forward-thinking, internationally-minded modern financial professionals with expertise in the Greater Bay Area's development.

Professor Zhou Yonghong, the director of the doctoral program, provided a detailed introduction to the Ph.D. program in Finance for the new students. He discussed the credit requirements, thesis publication requirements, and highlighted other learning opportunities and resources available in the college. He encouraged students to actively participate in academic lectures and events organized by the faculty to enhance their learning experience. He emphasized the importance of understanding the current state of the industry and the development of the Greater Bay Area, as well as mastering mainstream analytical methods and skills. Finally, he pointed out some misconceptions about learning and advised students to dedicate themselves to their studies, learn from trial and error, and adjust their methods. He also emphasized the importance of focusing on academic research, highlighting the need for extensive reading and the effective use of professional tools and thinking.

Associate Professor Yang Ting, the director of the master's program, expressed that the relationship between the faculty and the students is a mutually beneficial one, with high expectations for the new students. He then introduced the Master's degree program in Finance, providing a detailed explanation of the required and elective courses, as well as the thesis completion process. He shared the historical number of students and graduation rates in the master's program, encouraging students to strive for excellence, and make the best use of the college's learning resources, including professors, academic journals, databases, and the financial lab. He also mentioned that the faculty will launch Master's programs in Financial Technology and Financial Analysis in the future.

Assistant Professor Lin Deqin, the director of the undergraduate program, provided an overview of the development of the Bachelor's degree program in Applied Economics. He detailed the program's characteristics and course offerings, including an English-taught Honors class. He clearly explained to the students the two professional directions they can choose in the future: Finance and Economics. He also introduced relevant certificates in the field of finance and the exchange student program with partner universities. He encouraged students to make the most of their four years of study, continuously improve their knowledge and professional skills, and better equip themselves.

Finally, Dean Cheung introduced the faculty members of the faculty one by one, allowing the students to become familiar with their research interests and administrative responsibilities. He expressed his hope that the new students would achieve academic success and shine in the near future. This orientation event helped students to have a more comprehensive understanding of the structure and operation of the faculty. It also bridged the gap between students and faculty, and the dean encouraged them to make the most of their time on campus and strive for success in their learning journey. The event was also attended by Associate Professor Wang Yinggui, Associate Professor Lou Shiyan, Assistant Professor Liu Lu, Assistant Professor Xue Lifei, Assistant Professor Li Di, Assistant Professor Ling Yun, Assistant Professor Hua Junyi, Assistant Professor Zhang Yan, Lecturer Simon Sou, and Lecturer Liang Yunjie.