# Can Universities Survive? The Thousand-Year Story Part 2

An episode of [Past Present Future](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1682047968), 21 Oct 2026, 1 h 00 min.

Audio: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.megaphone.fm/NSR6711271268.mp3

Today’s episode is the second part of David's conversation with historian William Whyte about how universities have survived for nearly a thousand years and whether they can last much longer. How did the industrial revolution change what universities were for? Why did the attempt by French and Russian revolutionaries to abolish universities come to nothing? What made universities symbols of modernisation? And can institutions that have adapted to just about everything adapt to the digital revolution as well? William Whyte’s new book is The University: A History in Stone, Silk, and Blood – available now https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674495180 You can find out everything else you need to know about this podcast – who we are, what we do, plus our free online courses and full lists of all episodes including PPF+ bonus episodes – on our website https://www.ppfideas.com Next Time in Can Universities Survive? The Great Expansion Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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