This book on the responsibility of higher education for a democratic culture is the 8th volume in the Council of Europe's Higher Education series. It is the direct result of a Higher Education Forum held in June 2006 on the responsibility of higher education for citizenship, human rights and sustainability. This forum was a part of the Council of Europe's long-standing commitment to work in the area of education for democratic citizenship and human rights. It complements earlier work on the public responsibility for higher education and research which led to a recommendation of the Committee of Minister to the member states of the Council of Europe in 2007. If our aim is to work for sustainable democratic societies, the responsibility of public authorities for a high-quality higher education system must go hand in hand with the responsibility of higher education institutions towards the advancement of society.