Empirical studies of e-learning practices in Chinese higher education are still controversial. Shared Chinese beliefs in education, moving towards mass higher education for global competitiveness and improving e-readiness levels press for ubiquitous use of e-learning in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. This is a small-scale case study using a qualitative, cross-sectional approach to examining issues related to the practices involved in transforming the higher education of these three places. The findings enrich the understandings and extend the theoretical underpinnings of e-learning in terms of institutional settings, pedagogic responses to change and information and communication technologies (ICT) enabled capacity in education. Results show that (1) e-learning policy and practices were not explicitly integrated (2) faculties were reluctant to change; and (3) over-reliance on ICT-enabled capacity for teaching and learning. Implications and future research are also discussed.