澳大新語 • 2023 UMAGAZINE 28 8 封面專題 • COVER STORY In an era where every swipe, purchase, and heartbeat can be catalogued as data, the University of Macau (UM) is seizing this opportunity to transform data into actionable insights. Such efforts are evident across UM faculties, encompassing disciplines from the humanities to business, education, health sciences, law, social sciences and technology. By doing so, the university is not merely fuelling academic innovation but also contributing to social progress in Macao and beyond. Planning the Future Through Data ‘Time present and time past. Are both perhaps present in time future.’ These words from poet T.S. Eliot encapsulate the essence of data. Far more than a historical artefact, data can serve as a lens through which we interpret the present and shape the future. Prof U Leong Hou Ryan, head of the Centre for Data Science (CDS) at UM’s Institute of Collaborative Innovation (ICI), explains, ‘Technological advancements allow data not only to represent our world, but also to act as a catalyst for innovation. Whether it is numerical, textual, visual, auditory, or video-based, data has enabled technological leaps that were not imaginable at all just a decade ago.’ Prof U, associate professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science who specialises in big data processing and reinforcement learning, says that data scientists are developing new techniques to extract insights from data. ‘The field of data science is an amalgamation of statistics, data analytics, machine learning and computer science. It is widely used in our daily life and work,’ he says. ‘Moreover, data science and machine learning are closely related. The latter refers to the process in which algorithms learn primarily from data to enhance task performance. Therefore, advancements in machine learning have in turn improved our efficiency in data collection and analysis.’ The Next Generation of Data Scientists In collaboration with seven UM faculties, CDS offers a Master of Science in Data Science programme—the first interdisciplinary programme in big data in Macao. The programme has attracted increasing numbers of applications since its launch in August 2019. Students in this programme are required to specialise in one of these eight areas: artificial intelligence applications, marketing analytics, financial technology, data strategy and 余亮豪教授 Prof U Leong Hou Ryan compliance, precision medicine, computational linguistics, analytics in teaching and learning, and smart governance. The programme has four fundamental courses. They are delivered by UM’s Faculty of Science and Technology and equip students with skills in data science programming, data visualisation, database technology, and machine learning tools. In addition, students take four courses under their chosen specialisation offered by the related faculties. Throughout their studies, students may also explore the privacy, ethical, and safety issues arising from the collection and use of data, thereby delving into the broader impact of data science technologies on society. Each student must complete a research project that integrates data science with their area of specialisation before they can graduate. Prof U says, ‘Graduates are well-positioned to work as data engineers, analysts, and scientists in a variety of sectors.’ Interdisciplinary Data Research Beyond educational initiatives, CDS also serves as a platform for interdisciplinary research. Currently, the centre has 16 members from various UM faculties who engage in a wide range of research activities. For example, CDS collaborates with experts in law and information technology to study the role of technology in privacy protection, thus developing related technologies and offering
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