Universities matter - most of us can agree on that. They remain a vital, indispensable part of our society. What happens to them as a result of government policies, changing values and altered governance arrangements matters greatly, too. Over the past few decades, universities have changed beyond recognition. Now considered a major 'export industry', they operate more like private corporations than public institutions. They have embraced the principles of neoliberalism, stressing the needs of the economy above all else. The whiff of class privilege that once pervaded the fabled hallowed halls may have diminished, but it has been replaced by a corporate order based on radically different priorities and concerns.