Universities remain central to research, civic life, social mobility and the development of deep intellectual capability. But goodwill alone will not protect the sector. A more pressing question now sits beneath debates about employability and skills shortages. If universities do not future-proof their offer through deeper and more credible partnerships with employers and industry, what exactly prevents employers from educating and training people themselves? This question was foreshadowed in recent analyses of shifting global labour markets and the role of higher education.