Higher education is frequently asked to solve problems it did not create: unemployment, inequality, weak innovation systems, public-health shortages, technological dependence, democratic fragility, and climate risk. At the same time, universities can reproduce these problems through exclusion, outdated curricula, poor governance, and unequal knowledge relationships. This book approaches the university neither as a miracle nor as a failure, but as a public institution whose capacity depends on deliberate choices.
The argument is hopeful but not naive. Expansion without adequate support can dilute quality. Autonomy without accountability can protect privilege. Digitalization without inclusion can widen gaps. Employability programs cannot substitute for job creation. Research partnerships can build capability or extract it. Each chapter therefore connects a challenge to institutional and policy tools, questions for deliberation, and measurable action.