The Macao Polytechnic Institute (MPI) plans to have more exchange students from Portuguese-speaking countries while strengthening its academic programme on topics related to those nations.

“Portugal, Brazil and the African countries, as well as the United States, have all requested to send more students to study here,” MPI President Lei Heong Iok on Friday told local newspaper the Macau Daily Times. He was speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony to mark the new academic year at MPI.

He added: “We hope to increase the number of [exchange] students from Lusophone countries from some 40 to 100.”

MPI this year launched a bachelor programme in Sino-Lusophone trade relations. Mr Lei said around 20 students had enrolled for it.

They will study the Portuguese language as well as aspects of trade between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

He noted MPI also planned to launch – for Portuguese speakers – new bachelor programmes in Chinese language and culture. The institute already offers a bachelor degree in Chinese-Portuguese translation and interpretation.