The objectives, curriculum, and role of higher education and key policy and practice issues were reassessed against the backdrop of recent and predicted demographic, economic, and political changes and trends in Great Britain. Special consideration was given to the fact that "mature" learners now constitute the majority of entrants into British higher education. A model was proposed that calls for supporting a learning society by combining the strengths of the following two traditions of British higher education: (1) the pastoral/tutorial models of Oxford, Cambridge, and the new universities of the 1960s; and (2) the vocational and community-based traditions of civic universities and polytechnics. Also developed was an agenda of actions to create a culture where learning is recognized as a universal lifelong activity, empowerment of individuals is seen as key to economic and social development, accreditation seeks to include rather than exclude, higher education is an active contributor to economic activity, diversity is recognized as strength, and the outcomes and achievements of higher education are made explicit. The action agenda contained specific actions regarding the following areas of policy/practice: learner support, curriculum, credit, quality, and resources. Appended is a list of policy group members. (Contains 52 references.) (MN)