The University: An Illustrated History - Tapa dura

First single- volume survey of the evolution and current state of institutions of higher learning . . . Handsomely designed . . . This elegant tribute to the past, present, and future of the university should inform many who study at, graduate from, and teach at such institutions . . . I welcomed this volume for its global range, its historical perspective, and its contemporary focus. It reminds readers of the nobility of the pursuit which matriculation, degrees, dissertations, tenure, and grants may represent at their best. * New York Journal of Books * The numerous photographs from around the world are stunning and detailed...A coffee-table book of thoughtful essays for college-level historians and educators and anyone with an interest in the rise of the university system around the world. * Library Journal *

The transmission of knowledge lies at the heart of civilization. In the ancient world, science drew life from two sources. Master artisans honed their practical wisdom and passed it on from one generation to the next. Elsewhere, philosophers, sages and divines engaged in debate and lent increasingly complex form to human thought. These two traditions - technique and theory - have served ever since as the vessels of knowledge and of human experience itself. The University: an Illustrated History, written in a concise, readable style by distinguished scholars drawn from a wide range of disciplines, brings us the events, the people, the cities and the institutions that gave shape to this vast and absorbing story. The closing section opens our eyes to fascinating prospects, and makes a robust contribution to the discussion on the challenges and uncertainties faced by universities today.