Based on results of inquiry throughout Great Britain and in several other nations, this report describes and evaluates the British system of higher education. Its present structure (including full-time and part-time study, overseas students, women's education, and entrance qualifications) is outlined, and comparisons are made with the United States, the Soviet Union, and Western Europe. The probable demand for higher education up to 1980 is assessed, as is the extent to which educators should attempt to meet the demand. An examination of the relationship between higher education and the school system is followed by chapters which cover the work of universities, teachers' colleges, technological institutions, and the further education system, and suggest a pattern for the future. Problems of staffing, teaching, finance, academic freedom, the internal administration of educational institutions, and the role of the national government are also examined. The document includes 66 charts and tables, an index, a glossary, and appendixes relating to the inquiry itself. (ly)