Most governance reforms imply a shift from a state control model to a state supervision model. This is reflected in terms of granting more autonomy to public institutions and encouraging the operation of private higher education institutions. This study focuses on the implications of autonomy granted to public institutions in Asia. Based on case studies from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan and Viet Nam, the study shows that granting autonomy, in general, has led to increased managerial efficiency, faster decision-making processes, enhanced capacity to mobilize resources, and so on. Evidence of the positive impact of autonomy on quality of services is not conclusive, however.