Although higher education in the UK has expanded opportunities for much of the population, in many ways it remains stubbornly elitist. In order to address this crisis in education, Peter Scott, a leading expert and unique voice, examines the development of mass higher education and proposes a 'radical escape-forward'. He calls for more robust action to secure fair access at all levels and changes in the governance and management at both system and institutional levels to ensure more democratic accountability. Setting out a clear and radical programme for reform, this book makes an important contribution to current debates in education in the context of the evolution of the UK economy and wider society.