Dear teachers, esteemed guests, and incoming freshmen, good afternoon!
First and foremost, on behalf of the Faculty of Law, I would like to extend a warm welcome to the freshmen and congratulate you on becoming students of the Faculty of Law of MUST. I would also like to express my gratitude to all the guests for taking the time to attend today’s welcome ceremony.
When you arrive at the Faculty of Law, I believe everyone is eager to learn about the university, the faculty, and the path to becoming a qualified law student. New non-local students may also wish to gain a deeper understanding of Macau. Located on the coast of the South China Sea, Macau faces the ocean from east to west. It is a special administrative region of China, operating under the principles of “One Country, Two Systems” and enjoying a “high degree of autonomy”. Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) was established in 2000, making it the first comprehensive university founded after the return of the Macau Special Administrative Region. The Faculty of Law was one of the four founding faculties at MUST. Twenty-four years ago, implementing legal higher education in the unique context of “One Country, Two Systems” presented a significant challenge. At that time, the founding dean, Professor Xiao Weiyun, along with other senior faculty members, accepted the invitation from the university’s board of trustees to collaboratively prepare for the establishment of the Faculty of Law. The following text was recorded in the “Special Issue on the Establishment of Macau University of Science and Technology” in the year the university was founded.
“With the support of Peking University, the Faculty of Law of Macau University of Science and Technology offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs in law. The Faculty of Law currently emphasizes the Chinese legal system and Macau law, enabling undergraduate students to meet the demands of Macau society upon graduation. Additionally, the faculty provides instruction in various international laws to broaden students' perspectives and enhance their capacity for foreign exchanges.”
As a result, the Faculty of Law of MUST has become the first law school in the Macao SAR to offer undergraduate courses that encompass both Chinese Mainland law and Macao law subjects. Since its establishment, with the support and care from various sectors of society, as well as the collaborative efforts of faculty, students, and alumni, the faculty has successfully navigated numerous challenges and implemented the “One Country, Two Systems” policy within the realm of legal higher education in the Macao SAR. Now, twenty-four years later, the teaching philosophies and training plans established at the institute's inception have proven resilient, and practical experience has validated that these approaches should be the preferred choice for legal education in the Macao SAR. Over the past twenty-four years, in response to societal changes and the evolution of legal disciplines, the curriculum has undergone several revisions; however, the core mission has remained steadfast. The faculty will continue to be rooted in Macao, engage with the global community, and fulfill its mission of cultivating local and interdisciplinary legal talent while promoting the advancement of the rule of law through a multicultural lens.
Different law schools have their own histories and characteristics, yet they share significant commonalities in their training requirements for students. Dear freshmen, the first thing you must do is work diligently to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for legal practitioners.
Typhoon Capricorn struck last weekend, resulting in the postponement of our welcome ceremony to today. The accumulation of human knowledge in astronomy and the advancement of meteorological technology enable us to predict potential weather conditions that may arise in the future, allowing us to plan our actions accordingly. Humans have a natural inclination towards predictions, largely to alleviate insecurities about the unknown. At a normative level, the law also provides predictability in human behavior. For instance, the actions outlined in criminal law are all prohibited behaviors; do not engage in them. If you do, you will incur criminal responsibility and face the consequences of criminal penalties. When you study law, the first aspect you perceive is that the law serves as a code of conduct. However, the study of law extends beyond mere normative considerations. Unlike weather forecasts, which simply predict objective facts that may occur in the future, laws regulate behavior and are underpinned by a theoretical framework and value orientation. Therefore, it is essential not only to study the laws and comprehend the norms they contain but also to grasp the theories and values that inform these norms. Understanding these theories and values reveals the reasons why the law must not only be obeyed but also should be obeyed.
While acquiring knowledge and mastering skills, it is essential to also cultivate the character of a legal practitioner.
Dear students, we are living in an era of change. In addition to the age of artificial intelligence, which is characterized by technological advancements, some individuals have proposed the age of BANI (as introduced by Jamais Cascio), which reflects societal dynamics. The acronym BANI stands for: B for brittle, A for anxious, N for nonlinear, and I for incomprehensible.
The social symptoms mentioned above are precisely the opposite of what legal practitioners must overcome. As a legal professional, you must be tenacious rather than fragile; calm and composed instead of anxious and uncertain; logical rather than vague and arbitrary; and rational rather than unreasonable. For legal practitioners, it is essential to maintain righteous thoughts, adhere to the right path, promote justice, and uphold fairness—this is the calling of legal professionals.
In recent years, we are pleased to observe that our students have excelled and achieved remarkable results, continually bringing honor to the faculty. Dr. Liu Chak Wan, Chancellor of MUST, has established the “Dr. Liu Chak Wan Scholarships” for MUST students at Oxford University and Cambridge University. The inaugural recipients of these scholarships, Zhang Jiawei and Sun Chenhaojie, are both graduates of the Faculty of Law. This year, six students who received the President’s Medalist were selected from over 2,300 undergraduate graduates at the school. The Faculty of Law boasts a gold medal winner, Sun Chenhaojie, and a silver medal winner, Zhu Junhua. I encourage you to follow the example set by these outstanding seniors, make the most of your time, and strive to become legal professionals equipped with knowledge, skills, vision, and empathy. Additionally, the Faculty of Law will soon celebrate its 25th anniversary. I look forward to seeing you grow alongside the faculty, discover your potential, surpass your limits, and realize your aspirations.
Finally, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you to the Faculty of Law as you embark on this new chapter of your lives. I wish you health, happiness, and success in your studies. Additionally, I extend my best wishes for good health and a fulfilling life to all our guests and faculty members.
Thank you, everyone!
Figure I
Dean Fang Quan’s speech to Freshmen
