Though Macao is small in size, different languages, values, religions, architectural styles and cultural customs have long existed side by side in the area, which, through interaction, have given rise to a culture with unique features.

Macao is among the earliest open areas exposed to Western culture in China. It was mainly through Macao that Western mathematics, astronomy, geography, medicine, physics, architecture, linguistics, art and music were introduced into China in the early days. The Portuguese missionaries once turned Macao into the center for propagating Catholicism in East Asia. Matteo Ricci, a famous missionary, entered China through Macao. Meanwhile, China Confucian philosophy, classic literature, medicine, art, painting and architecture were brought to the West through Macao.

Macao is renowned for the colorful exchanges between Chinese and foreign cultures it sponsors. Many people in Macao are actively involved in promoting public cultural undertakings and cultural exchanges.


The cultural affairs fall within the scope of the high degree of autonomy to be enjoyed by the Macao Special Administrative Region. According to Article 125 of the Macao Basic Law, the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region shall, on its own, formulate policies on culture, including literature, art, broadcasting, film and television programs. The cultural institutions in Macao may operate according to law after Macao return to China and shall not become affiliates of the national cultural organizations on the mainland of China. The prospects are bright for the cultural exchanges of the future Macao Special Administrative Region.

In the field of education, there are three types of schools in Macao: public schools, church-run schools and private schools. After the introduction of free education by the Macao government in 1964, the private schools were turned into public school network schools and non-public school network schools. The former practices free education. Students at these schools do not pay tuition fees. And the non-tuition fees are less than 20% of the free education subsidy.

Macao practices a system of ten-year free education, which covers preparatory courses of primary school to the third year of middle school.

There are 123 schools in Macao, including three government-run Portuguese language schools, two private Portuguese language schools, 17 government-run schools for teaching both Chinese and Portuguese and 101 private schools (including four schools for special education).

The University of Macao Founded in 1991, the university has trained 3000 graduates. It now opens 20 MD courses with 385 students and 8 PhD courses with 15 students. The university has under it the school of business administration, school of education, school of literature, school of liberal arts, law school and school of Portuguese literature. The University of Macao has ties with 140 universities in the world and student exchange programs with 42 universities.

The Macao Institute of Technology The institute was founded in 1991 and now has an enrollment of 1,000. It consists of the school of advanced management, school of languages and translation, school of sports, school of arts, school of public health and school of public administration. The institute offers many advanced courses and degree earning courses. It also runs a number of non-degree-taking training courses for the general public. It plans to set up a degree earning school for the aged.

In addition, there are in Macao two open universities, namely, the Asia (Macao) International Open University and the Public Education University, which offer courses to employees, both public and private.