In this wide-ranging work, Watson gets to grips with why HEIs should have strategic plans, and what they should look like. He touches on many of the key debates about institutional identities in doing so, probing the relationship between the HEI and its students and funders. Watson acknowledges the reticence with which HEIs will approach the idea of a vision or mission document (now enthusiastically embraced by many of our foremost) but makes a solid defence of its importance: indeed, he argues that being the architect of a mission and vision statements of the HEI is a very large part of what a VC or Principal is there to do.

This book has, therefore, in Watson's own words, the "character of a survival guide for the senior manager" and he does an excellent job of ranging across the occupational territory of a British Vice-Chancellor at the turn of the Millennium.

It is, though, a book of its time.

Government-sponsored and market-driven change has changed the HE landscape since this book was written: it feels as though Watson is describing a very different UK HE sector than today's. Many of the important public and sectoral bodies feel less vital now, and some important ones have come into being since publication.

A worthwhile text - surely a second edition is needed now. ( )