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The Evolution of Corporatisation of Public Universities in Malaysia

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Higher Education Governance in East Asia

Abstract

This chapter charts the evolving concept of ‘corporatisation’ of public universities in Malaysia grounded in the political-economic scenarios of the nation over time. All public universities since their establishments have been incorporated as semiautonomous public statutory bodies with the intention of separating public universities from government bureaucracy. However, in the mid-1990s, with the influences of internationalisation and neoliberalism that brought about the concept of New Public Management, public universities in Malaysia were being corporatised in line with the spirit of corporatism and were expected to transform and operate as business organisations. Following the introduction of the National Higher Education Strategic Plan 2007–2020, the concept of corporatisation has once again been rebranded under the banner of autonomy.

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Wan, C.D., Morshidi, S. (2018). The Evolution of Corporatisation of Public Universities in Malaysia. In: Shin, J. (eds) Higher Education Governance in East Asia. Higher Education in Asia: Quality, Excellence and Governance. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2469-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2469-7_6

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