Searching for new university governance in Asia

Globalization and the evolution of the knowledge-based economy have caused dramatic changes in the character and functions of higher education in most countries around the world. In order to enhance the global competitiveness of their higher education systems, a number of Asian states have adopted different restructuring strategies along the line of incorporation, corporatization and privatisation to improve the institutional governance of national universities. This article briefly reviews such restructuring exercises and the policy implications for higher education governance when more pro-competition policy instruments are adopted by Asian university systems.