Over the past few years the view that industry and higher education should work more closely together has become a conventional wisdom. There are good reasons why the world of work and the academic world should join forces and there is much to be said about the circumstances in which such co-operation is likely to prove appropriate and fruitful, and those where it will not. This book sets out the contexts in which higher education and industry now find themselves, and examines various possible spheres of joint activity. It concentrates primarily on the contribution both partners can make to improving the quality of students' learning and to increasing its relevance to the needs of employment. The contributors to this book are employers and academics who explore the issues in the light of current practical, historical examples and the US experience, in order to draw lessons for the future.