Across the world, we have more universities than ever yet are also increasingly sceptical about their value. What Are Universities For? presents a spirited, compelling argument for rethinking the way we see these institutions, and why we need them.

Stefan Collini challenges the idea that universities must show their contribution to economic growth; instead, he argues, we must recognize the inherent worth of intellectual enquiry, and the complexity of harnessing this to immediate financial goals - particularly in the case of the humanities, which can seem the most difficult subjects to justify but may be among the most valuable.

Collini's critiques of the higher education policies of successive governments are devastating but constructive. At a time when the future of higher education lies in the balance, What Are Universities For? offers us a deeper, more persuasiveunderstanding of why universities matter - to everyone.

In recent years, Stefan Collini has become one of the most important critical voices in debates about universities and their future. He is Professor of Intellectual History and English Literature at Cambridge University.