Book Review: What Are Universities For? By Stefan Collini. Penguin; 216 pages; £9.99. Buy from Amazon.co.uk
Universities are in a paradoxical position. As Stefan Collini points out in this eloquent and impassioned book, these ancient institutions have never been so numerous or so important. They receive more public money than they ever did. They are lauded as the engines of economic growth and technological advance. And yet they are frequently defensive and troubled, harried by politicians and lacking a clear sense of purpose and direction.
