In recent years, the history of universities has become a thriving field of research, but no convenient summary has been available. This book offers a clear and concise introduction to the subject. It surveys the debate on the significance of British university development, and relates it to general questions about British social history. It asks how far the nature of British elites has changed since Victorian times, what contribution universities have made to social mobility, and whether higher education, despite its recent expansion, has really become more democratic.