Macao SAR, China
Last updated December 1, 2025
Composite GEFRI Score
Emerging readiness
Macao SAR, China demonstrates early-stage readiness (67th percentile worldwide). Investments are generating initial gains, yet substantial gaps persist in several dimensions. Higher scores indicate a system that is better prepared to anticipate and shape the future of learning.
- Global percentile
- 67th
- Global rank
- #59
- Regional rank
- #10
- Viewing data for
Country profile
Macao SAR, China shows strong future-readiness momentum, with clear strengths in Human Capital (66, 96th percentile).
Wide gaps between dimensions reveal structural weaknesses that slow coordinated progress. High internet adoption enables broad participation in digital learning and innovation. Strong tertiary enrollment expands future talent pipelines and strengthens national innovation potential.
Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Policy and regulatory teams coordinate effectively, keeping reforms aligned and providing the stability needed for long-term educational planning. Gender parity across secondary pathways reflects sustained commitment to equitable participation.
Regionally, Innovation lags peers the most, signalling where investment could have the highest impact.
Challenges: Innovation (19, 4th percentile). Closing these gaps will be key to sustaining progress.
Areas with room to grow: School Access and Gender Parity (68, 59th percentile). These dimensions sit close to global norms and could accelerate quickly with targeted investment.
Note: Most indicators rely on observed data, offering a dependable evidence base for decisions.
Key insights
- Sits above the global median at the 67th percentile.
- Places 59th worldwide.
- Holds a regional position of 10th within East Asia & Pacific.
- Scores range from Infrastructure (73.0) to Innovation (19.2), reflecting variation across dimensions.
- Trails regional peers most clearly in Innovation.
Regional peers: East Asia & Pacific
Composite GEFRI score
| Global rank | Regional rank | Country | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | Korea, Rep. | 79.60 |
| 3 | 2 | Singapore | 78.63 |
| 5 | 3 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 77.86 |
| 11 | 4 | Japan | 76.54 |
| 14 | 5 | Australia | 76.14 |
| 19 | 6 | New Zealand | 73.28 |
| — | — | Northern Mariana IslandsMicrostate | 61.56 |
| 48 | 7 | Brunei Darussalam | 61.48 |
| 49 | 8 | Thailand | 61.30 |
| — | — | New CaledoniaMicrostate | 61.09 |
| 52 | 9 | Indonesia | 60.44 |
| — | — | NauruMicrostate | 59.95 |
| — | — | GuamMicrostate | 59.92 |
| — | — | PalauMicrostate | 59.64 |
| — | — | American SamoaMicrostate | 59.42 |
| — | — | French PolynesiaMicrostate | 59.20 |
| 59 | 10 | Macao SAR, China | 58.71 |
| 63 | 11 | Viet Nam | 57.39 |
| 69 | 12 | Fiji | 56.40 |
| 70 | 13 | Mongolia | 56.30 |
| 71 | 14 | Malaysia | 56.21 |
| 73 | 15 | China | 55.14 |
| 82 | 16 | Philippines | 52.74 |
| — | — | TuvaluFCSMicrostate | 51.67 |
| — | — | SamoaMicrostate | 50.98 |
| — | — | TongaMicrostate | 49.06 |
| — | — | KiribatiFCSMicrostate | 46.78 |
| — | — | Marshall IslandsFCSMicrostate | 46.17 |
| 107 | 17 | Timor-LesteFCS | 44.20 |
| — | — | Micronesia, Fed. Sts.FCSMicrostate | 42.51 |
| 112 | 18 | Vanuatu | 41.00 |
| 122 | 19 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 36.64 |
| 126 | 20 | Cambodia | 35.43 |
| 129 | 21 | MyanmarFCS | 33.80 |
| 134 | 22 | Solomon IslandsFCS | 32.22 |
| 138 | 23 | Lao PDR | 31.38 |
| 145 | 24 | Papua New GuineaFCS | 28.17 |