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Describes the impact of mass higher education and increasing financial stringency on the academic profession in Britain, where the profession has become fragmented and salary levels have fallen comparably. Suggests that the academic profession has failed to adapt to changes and that continued adherence to a common salary scale represents a constraint on the system as a whole. (Author/SLD)

While the university systems of many countries owe their foundation and strategies to the British model, the coordinating agencies have been thought out more systematically and in some countries show significant variation in their roles. Their futures will depend on academics' firm judgment and willingness to stand up to government. (MSE)

The evolution, changing role, and recent criticisms of Britain's University Grants Committee, the government agency charged with channelling funds to higher education institutions, are reviewed and discussed. The appropriateness of the concept and structure in a time of great educational change are specifically addressed. (MSE)

From a period of expansion to a period of retrenchment, British policy towards universities called for new approaches to university planning. Major internal reviews of some universities are examined, and approaches combining short term planning with longer term strategic objectives are outlined. (Author/MLW)