For most people, Macao is synonymous with gambling. This special administrative region (SAR) of China surpassed Las Vegas in 2007 as the top casino city in the world in terms of betting pool.

But what is little known is that Macao also has eight universities, catering mostly to students from the Chinese mainland. The government-funded Macao University, the largest in the SAR, has grown so big that it needs a new campus. But land is in short supply in this 29-sq-km enclave of half a million people.

The solution was found in Hengqin, a relatively less developed island twice the size of Macao that is part of the neighboring Zhuhai Special Economic Zone in Guangdong province. This was made possible after the State Council, the country's cabinet, earmarked Hengqin for development. The foundation of the university's new campus was laid in Hengqin at the end of last month, and construction is expected to be complete by the end of next year.