This book makes the case for a critical turn in development thinking around universities and their contributions in making a more equal post-2015 world. It puts forward a normative approach based on human development and the capability approach, one which can gain a hearing from policy, scholarship, and practitioners dealing with practical issues of understanding policy, democratising research and knowledge, and fostering student learning - all key university functions.

Alejandra Boni is Associate Professor at the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Spain, and research fellow of INGENIO Institute (CSIC-UPV). She co-convenor of the thematic Education Group of the Human Development and Capability Association, current vice-president of the International Development Ethics Association and member of the Board of the Spanish Network of Development Studies (REEDES).

Melanie Walker is South African Research Chair in Higher Education and Human Development based in the Institute for Advanced Studies and Scholarship at the University of the Free State, South Africa.. She is also current vice-president of the Human Development and Capability Association.

Part 1 1. Introduction 2. Universities from an education and development perspective 3. How development theories understand universities 4. A foundation of human development and capabilities for higher education Part 2 5. Higher education policies from a human development perspective 6. University knowledge contributions and human development 7. Democratizing research: expanding capabilities through participatory action research 8. Student learning opportunities and outcomes Part 3 9. The Human Development Friendly University