From April 28 to 30, the "Northern Frontier—Macao" Architectural Cultural Heritage Dialogue and Exchange Series, a key project of the Ministry of Education for Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan in 2026, was held at the University of Macau. The event was jointly organized by Inner Mongolia University of Technology and the University of Macau, aiming to establish a platform for cultural exchange and mutual learning between the Northern Frontier and Macao, and to deepen cooperation in the protection, research, and inheritance of architectural cultural heritage in the two regions.
On the morning of April 28, the "Letter from the Grasslands: Inner Mongolia Architectural Heritage Macao Exchange Exhibition" opened. Xu Jie, Distinguished Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Macau, and Bai Nanding, Dean of the International Education College at Inner Mongolia University of Technology, delivered speeches. Professor Zhang Pengju, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Director of the Academic Committee at Inner Mongolia University of Technology, gave a video address. During the opening ceremony, representatives from both sides exchanged academic achievements. Hao Zhanguo, Associate Dean of the School of Architecture at Inner Mongolia University of Technology, introduced the university's development and the exhibition content. Afterwards, teachers and students participated in exhibition tours and exchanges on themes such as settlements, folk houses, temples, government offices, Liao pagodas, and oboos.
During the event, teachers and students from both universities engaged in various exchange activities, including a campus tour of the University of Macau, presentation and critique of digital and new media artworks, thematic lectures, and faculty seminars. Faculty members from the School of Architecture at Inner Mongolia University of Technology, including Han Ying, Meng Chunrong, Qi Zhuoyan, Wang Zhuonan, Li Li, and Du Juan, delivered thematic academic reports on topics such as Inner Mongolian settlements, yurts, folk houses, Liao pagodas, temple paintings, and Tibetan Buddhist temples. Faculty members from both sides also held in-depth discussions on discipline development, professional advancement, talent cultivation, and future collaboration.
This series of events used architecture as a bridge to bring the architectural cultural heritage of the Northern Frontier to Macao, enhancing the understanding of grassland civilization and architectural expression among teachers and students from both regions, and laying a solid foundation for future student and faculty exchanges, joint teaching and research, and cooperation in cultural heritage protection.
