Which Southeast Asian economies are best prepared for the future of work?
Singapore leads, but how do Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam fare?
Hello,
Which Southeast Asian countries are best positioned to meet the skills demands of tomorrow?
The QS World Future Skills Index 2027 reveals significant differences in how five of the region's economies are preparing their graduates and labour markets for the future of work.
Singapore leads the group, ranking 12th globally with a score of 91.1, followed by Indonesia (73.7), Malaysia (70.3), the Philippines (68.5) and Vietnam (58.8).
But the overall scores only tell part of the story.
- Singapore demonstrates strong alignment between education, employer demand and economic transformation.
- Indonesia and Vietnam face the challenge of ensuring their future-ready talent pipeline keeps pace with economic growth.
- Malaysia has a relatively strong supply of skilled graduates, but employer demand is not keeping pace.
- The Philippines faces the opposite challenge, with demand for skilled talent exceeding domestic supply.
Join the conversation in Bali
These challenges will be part of the discussion at QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific 2026, taking place 3–5 November in Bali, Indonesia.
Join higher education leaders, policymakers and industry representatives to explore how universities can strengthen workforce readiness, international collaboration and their contribution to economic development.