Perhaps universities will always be necessary for middle-of-the-road students who, like me, need a shepherd and find comfort in a flock. That slip of paper is still necessary, although not sufficient, to get a decent middle-of-the-road job in a middle-of-the-road company. As long as it’s from a university that is middle-of-the-road or above.

The real stars will excel outside of and despite the university system. Arguably, a better system for highly intelligent, motivated young people would be that of the upper classes in 5th-century Athens. This was a mentoring system, where older men would take promising young individuals under their wing and teach them philosphy, maths, politics, rhetoric, life skills… I wonder if personal mentoring could or should become a bigger and more formal part of business and education.

For students who struggle at the other end of the scale, university is a waste of both time and money. Start low, learn on the job, acquire specific skills as and when you need them from online training courses… arguably more useful and much less costly than suffering for four wasted years in a bad university.

This probably puts me a little to the right of Attila the Hun. But I don’t think higher education is right for all. I think it’s right for those of us in the middle of the road.

It would be even nicer if we were in the middle of the town – a university town, as you suggest. What a great idea. I hope somebody is listening.