A Macao government department says heads of institutions of higher education in China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries will gather in Macao on October 26 and 27 to discuss what the Chinese Belt and Road initiative means for tertiary education in their parts of the world.

The Tertiary Education Services Office issued a written statement saying it is arranging the conference jointly with the University of Macao and the University of Saint Joseph.

The office says over 100 academics, other representatives of institutions of higher education, representatives of training institutions, experts in various fields and government officials from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and the Portuguese-speaking Countries are expected to attend.

The conference may enhance communications and exchanges among institutions of higher education and so facilitate the joint development of tertiary education in China and the Portuguese-speaking world, the Tertiary Education Services Office says.