This project explores how technological and social change impact on Universities.

All three of a university's traditional missions are changing rapidly. First, in education, teachers are having to adapt to a context in which they are one source of information among many. Secondly, in research, ICTs have opened up the possibility of new forms of collaboration and communication, particularly in the sciences. Debates about open access are already filtering into the practice of science itself, as researchers begin to share lab notes and data around the world. Lastly, the emergence of Universities' 'third mission', incorporating elements of knowledge transfer and community engagement, presents challenges for higher education to which technology is well placed to contribute.

Technology has the potential to help all universities become 'open universities', but its implications, opportunities and uncertainties need deeper explanation.