Experiences in Bilingual Legal Education: The Case of Macau SAR’s Chinese–Portuguese Bachelor of Law

This article evaluates the effectiveness of the bilingual Chinese–Portuguese Bachelor of Law programme at the University of Macau, designed to address the unique demands of Macau’s legal system. As a former Portuguese colony and current Chinese Special Administrative Region, Macau’s legal framework, enshrined in its Basic Law, requires proficiency in both Chinese and Portuguese. The five-year programme integrates bilingual legal education with intensive language training, including an optional year abroad in Portugal for immersive Portuguese study. Analysing a decade of data (2014–2024) from 333 students, the study reveals that 48.77 per cent of students who studied in Portugal achieved B2 proficiency, compared to 20.83 per cent of those who remained in Macau. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international mobility, sharply reducing proficiency gains in affected cohorts. Despite challenges, the programme graduated 99 bilingual students, with flexibility allowing transfers to a Chinese-only track if language benchmarks are unmet. The authors argue that the programme’s success—combining rigorous legal training with strategic linguistic immersion—provides a model for bilingual legal education.