On September 19, Assistant Professor Zhang Qianjin from the School of Business (MSB) at Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) attended the “International Year of Volunteers and New Quality Productivity in Social Services Symposium” with the student representatives of the Master of Charity and Social Organization Management (MCO) program. Hosted by the Association of Volunteers Social Service Macao in celebration of the 40th anniversary, this themed symposium “Roots & Reach: 40 Years of Volunteers” brought together experts, scholars, and representatives from the social service industry from home and abroad.
Group photo at the symposium
The symposium featured insights from practitioners and researchers across Australia, Mainland China, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, and Macau, who shared their experiences in volunteering promotion. Discussions highlighted the evolving landscape of global volunteerism in the AI era. Speakers explored the dual challenges and opportunities artificial intelligence presents for social services, strategies to mobilize the new generation to engage in volunteering, and the vital role universities play in this ecosystem.
For the MCO students, the symposium provided an invaluable opportunity to learn about global practices and challenges while deepening their understanding of volunteering’s essential role in the local community and global governance. The biggest takeaway from the symposium was the growing imperative for students to critically evaluate the role of AI in volunteerism – both as a subject of academic research and as a practical tool in their future careers in non-profit management.
Assistant Professor Zhang Qianjin with participating students
(Contributed and reviewed by Assistant Professor Zhang Qianjin, format reviewed by Helen Kam)
