A Macanese alumna donated 4 million yuan ($670,000) to Beijing Normal University to subsidize students with financial difficulties on Friday.

The donor, Ching Hui Hsu received her doctoral degree from BNU’s School of Economics and Resources Management in 2013, and serves as the general manager of Altira Macao, a five-star hotel in Macao.

Hsu set up the fund in memory of her belated parents.

Education is not just the obligation of universities, but also the whole society’s responsibility, she said, adding that her parents hoped to reduce the education gap between rich and poor, and allow all students to have equal access to high quality education.

A total of 88 students, including 40 undergraduates and 40 graduates, as well as 8 researchers, received the funding.

Liu Li, the university’s deputy Party chief, spoke highly of Ms Hsu’s efforts to increase communication between the Mainland and Macao, as well as providing subsidies to university students.

BNU, with the support of society, will contribute more to society by nurturing more high quality professionals, Liu said.

The central government also focuses on providing equal educational opportunities to students from rural areas by encouraging top universities to admit more from these areas.

Peking University, Tsinghua University and other prestigious universities released their recruitment plan to admit more students from rural areas in April, aiming to reduce the rural-urban education gap.