In 2011,the number of degree programs,full-time teachers and registered students in Macau's higher education institutions (HEIs) have increased significantly. The larger ones have not only offered new programs but also developed new academic domains and proceeded with university rules/regulations reformation as well as encouraged publication of academic research results,moving toward the goal of becoming a"First-class University". Despite all these,the overall quality of higher education in Macau,owing perhaps to impediments caused by inherent problems of the existing system,has not seen any dramatic improvement. However,it is evident that higher education in Macau has entered a new phase of development in light of HEIs' accomplishments in educational reform,program restructuring,and improvement in academic management,teaching quality and research performance. Together with the Tertiary Education Services Office's (GAES) efforts in speeding up higher education legislation as well as coordinating the HEIs' direction of development and program offering,the prospect of higher education in Macau 2012 appears to be reasonably promising. <<