Higher education, particularly in America, has never been more of a battleground than now, when conflicting systems of political and educational theory dominate life on every campus. What is less often questioned, however, is the underlying value of that education itself, which is at the mercy of economics and a general desire to process as many diplomas as possible, even at the expense of quality. The author understands this predicament well, having served a lifetime of education and teaching in three continents. Comparing the merits and standards of the systems, he demonstrates the deficiencies of American university education today and offers some simple but far-reaching ideas to reform.