The idea of the university has been a matter of intense debate for well over a century. The essential nature, role and purpose of the university have long been questioned. The debate has only intensified as universities have multiplied and expanded across the globe, and the demands made upon them by different stakeholders have grown and diversified. This article focuses on how the research literature on the idea of the university has developed over the last 150 years, using this to assess where the debate might be going. It puts forward three key elements for a contemporary idea of the university: the increased use of educational technology, development beyond the university, and mass undergraduate provision.