Purpose: This study intends to explore the opportunities and roles of Macao's universities in the education and training development of Hengqin under the General Plan of the Development of the Guangdong–Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin promulgated in August 2021.Design/methodology/approach: This study is intended to analyze the role of Macao’ universities in Hengqin development, based on data collected through interviewing with dozens of scholars and government officials from Macao and Hengqin, and government reports, news reports and other relevant data.Findings: The General Plan provides Macao's universities with opportunities to develop education and training in Hengqin. On the one hand, Hengqin can be the locus of Macao's tertiary education diversification; Macao's universities can jointly establish technological research institutions and set up postdoctoral research centers and university branches to enroll master's and doctoral students from Mainland China. On the other hand, Macao's universities can set up a branch of professional training and open training courses in Hengqin. These efforts are designed to promote technological innovation and cultural diffusion in Macao.Originality/value: This study analyses the potential role of Macao's universities in developing education and training in Hengqin since the central policy was announced last August. This study will be of interest to scholars as well as policymakers.

Macao’s trade in services has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. Based on the interview and secondary data analysis methods, this article examines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of Macao’s digital trade in services. According to the SWOT analysis, the strengths of Macao’s digital trade in services include the significant progress in technical transformation and an increasing proportion of enterprises using computers and the Internet. The weaknesses lie in the poor information network infrastructure and a shortage of talents in information technology. Developing the digital economy in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and building an international hub for digital trade in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone-Hengqin provide opportunities for the digital industry. The I.T. technology including ABCD, digital twins, industry 5.0, and FinTech Bridges agreements also bring the opportunities for digital trade. However, Macao’s digital trade in services faces threats from political conflicts and mistrust between countries. This paper has also made suggestions for future practice, including seeking a suitable development model for Macao’s digital trade in service, cooperating with Hengqin to build an international digital trade port and learning about successful experiences from other countries or regions such as Ireland. The findings of this paper will be beneficial to understand the strategic management and SWOT of Macao’s digital trade in services. Thus, it would be of interest to scholars as well as policymakers.

In evaluating public administration education in Macao, this paper applies the case study method to the example of Macao Polytechnic Institute and the computer context analysis method to the textual information of the Official Bulletin of the Macao SAR Government. This paper maintains that Macao Polytechnic Institute is the main body of public administration training in Macao, providing both degree programs for students and non-degree programs for public servants. Furthermore, this paper recommends setting up in the future a flexible training center for public servants, open training programs within the Greater Bay Area, and strengthening cultural education for overseas Chinese.

2024 marked the 25th anniversary of Macau’s return to China. China successfully achieved the peaceful reunification of Hong Kong and Macau in 1997 and 1999, respectively under the ‘One Country, Two...