The second in a series, this volume traces the history of the federal University of Wales from its foundation in 1893 to the eve of World War II and places it in the broad background of higher education in Britain. The main strands of academic advance are considered along with the architecture of the principal buildings of the University. There are chapters on student life and the impact of the Great War. Since the University and its colleges were largely the product of a national movement the last two chapters of the book are devoted to the relationship between university and nation and to the nature of Welsh society during a period of cultural awakening which, argues the author, owed much to the University of Wales.