This book investigates the systemic impact of information and communication technologies on the structure, management, and identity of contemporary higher education institutions. Frank Webster and Kevin Robins, alongside a global cohort of scholars, examine the transition toward the 'virtual university' model. The authors analyze how the integration of digital infrastructure forces colleges and universities to adopt market-oriented, managerial frameworks that prioritize efficiency and global competitiveness over traditional academic values.

Experts recognize this volume as a critical sociological inquiry into the commodification of higher education. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose and the authors' focus on the tension between technological advancement and institutional tradition.