Courses at University are all too often personality driven topics. For example: The Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms with lectures delivered by Muzz T Haughty haughty. Muzz T Haughty Hut then becomes your cracked prism through which to view the topic. The real pleasure of learning is the self planned curriculum

Bob Flopp, Narborough, UK

Will from Grimsby obviously studied English Grammer.

Michael, London, UK

“The goal of education is to form the Citizen; and the Citizen is a person who, if need be, can re-found his civilisation.” What the idiot Right would call 'social engineering'. It was they who started the tick-box nonsense, with all its testing. Question is: when Cameron gets in will he scrap it?

Will Duffay, London,

it would be good if there was a certificate of general education when you left school or university. So you if you study ecconomics you understand more than just supply and demand.

but then who cares about history when something interesting like big brother is on eh?

will, grimsby, uk

she does have a point, ooh ive got a first in PE or david beckham studies, im educated! well not really.

i know inumerable students at university who have know knowledge of things like magna carter or habius corpus and as such arent at all bothered by things like trial without jury.

will, grimsby, uk

I got a 1st class honours with the OU 30 years ago, followed by a PGCE and an MBA all paid for on credit cards and overdrafts by my supportive husband. I learnt to be analytical, support arguments on facts not opinion and be doggedly determined to prove my point. Gordon Brown and Labour take note!

sk, East Sussex, England

So people who have never been to school are ahead of the game? If going to school starts a never ending process perhaps we are better off not starting! I like the idea of people improving themselves but that is usually more to do with manners and conversation. Education breeds bores and the boorish.

Malcolm Turner, Alsager, England

Jan Thomas, outrageously arrogant and ignorant. I am part of the 'younger generation' of teachers and the state comprehensive where I work is full of staff in their 20s educated extremely well at top universities. Your words go completely against the spirit of the article which is one of optimism.

Ruth Stacey, London,

Relax Kate.

If the religion doesn't accord with your nephew's experience outside school, he'll forget it within a week or so of leaving.

He's not at school for critical thinking (something prople learn -or not as the case may be - for themselves) but to get the right certificates.

Mike Stone, Peterborough, UK

I quite agree! I'm currently in the last phases of an MSc and can't wait to finish and find some Adult Education courses; photography, German and creative writing to start with, I think, but probably not at the same time.. If I ever stop wanting to learn, I'll know there's something seriously wrong

Sophie, Liverpool,

Only one criticism of this article, surely PhD students ARE the real academics in a university? The lecturers may put together the funding bid, but its the PhD students who are doing the research to put ideas to the test and are at the forefront of new knowledge.

Clare, Exeter, UK

didactic yes, but Libby please NOT 'specialism' arghhh

sarah, france, france

A non-intellectual reads Clarkson and agrees with him. A pseudo-intellectual reads Clarkson and laughs AT him. A real intellectual, if he or she reads Clarkson, laughs with him.

Frank Upton, Solihull,

Bravo, great article!
Surely the brain, like every other organ, goes by the ''use it or lose it'' principle? When you stop learning, academically or practically, you've given up on living.
Oh, and Drew, words are there to be used and treasured - million dollar or 50 cent, ''it's all good.''

Ruth, Salwa, Kuwait

War and Peace whilst watching Top Gear. That's education. Balance. One of the most important lessons I ever... taught myself.

Excellent article.

Gary William Murning., Middlesbrough, UK

Meanwhile I am cringing as I watch the distorted education being fed to my nephew by his publicly funded Roman Catholic primary school. Their whole approach is to discourage critical thinking and to brainwash the children into irrational religiouis belief.

kate corwyn, bristol,

Newton's Laws, Laws of Thermodynamics. Relativity and Evolution..... of course you don't need to understand any of these to be educated in the UK! Study engineering at Uni and you will be welcomed in the Europe, US, China or India. You can move there when the UK electricity capacity runs out!

Colin, Birmingham,

In the last 30 years, life-long learning has become increasingly necessary. To get past the idea of time-limited learning, we need to stop seeing education as an event (and autodactism as remarkable) and start seeing it as a process. We must rethink how we teach and how we expect people to learn.

Geoffrey Morton-Haworth, London,

After glossing over my complete lack of real interest or further reading in the subject (as Libby notes)
I was accepted to uni. However through my course I was inspired & now love learning about various subjects! Without university I would never have discovered that passion for educating myself.

Margot, Fife,

I have a first class law degree and yet did not begin to truly learn or think for myself until I left university a year ago and had time to read widely. Our education system stifles curiosity and narrows opinion, mainly because teachers are given little autonomy and are forced to 'teach to the test'

Jenny, Swindon, England

autodidacticism - now there is a steatopygic word

Martin Wright, Birmingham, England

I gather from this that you like undergraduate humour , are not too fond of Balls (or at least the nonsense he spouts) and may well be pining for those undergraduate years? Unfortunately I think the success of reality TV demonstrates your autodidactists are in the minority!

Alastair Harris, DERBY,

Keira's supposed lack of education is evinced by her choice of reading material. A proper education would include Latin & Ancient Greek & the study of Classics. However, she has a posh accent & comes across as refined so I don't think she is missing much.

ian cheese, london, uk

Most of the younger generation of teachers have been through a debased system and are in no sense educated themselves, so it's no wonder they turn out bored semi-literates, To imagine either group ever opening a book voluntarily is fantasy.

Jan Thomas, Nottingham, England

Sounds as though Jeremy Clarkson taught himself to drive!
We were always told that people who deliberately use large unfamiliar words were guilty of obfuscation but nobody ever said what that meant.
Did the Ancient Greeks go to "Uni"?

David Cotterell, Cheltenham, England

Anyone who had trouble with the word "autodidacticism" needed only to consult a dictionary. Surely we all have one of those? May I recommend the software version of the OED - you would merely have to double-click the word and its definition would appear before your eyes.

Tom Welsh, Basingstoke,

I haven't got a MA Hons, but didactic is quite a common word (certainly if you watch any late night arts discussion programmes).

I like it when people use big words, it gives me a chance to go and read the dictionary and expand my knowledge.

Nervous, Sussex, UK

dont knock Clarkson. his books and articles are witty, well written and totally enjoyable. i'd take them over Dosteyevsky any day of the week. but then again, i wouldn't have much to show off about at dinner parties then would i.......

Jay, perth,

Rhys Jagger, Leeds: whatever made you leave yogic flying of your list?

Srednivashtar Campbell, Christchurch, New Zealand

autodidacticism - The "art" of self teaching, or independent learning if you will. Isn't it fun that people choose to use a million dollar word and then leave their audience hanging!

Drew, Los Angeles, USA

"..three years of squalid quarters, unwise drinking, rising debt, dodgy romances and desultory study." Aside from the last item this is exactly the strength of the UK university system. Students are encouraged to leave home and learn life the hard way.

Gareth, Bangkok, Thailand

Spot on, Libby! We here in the States have the same problem.

Personally, I feel that a day in which I don't learn something new (no matter how small a piece of information it might be) has been a day wasted. Naturally, I try not to let that happen too often...

Ann Linderman, Las Vegas, NV, USA

1. Poor under 3 emotional bonding limits 'school-type learning'.
2. Prescribe suckling of breasts for a small number of boys - it will aid learning!
3. Promote kinaesthetic learning, including physical manipulations if necessary! IT WORKS, then you move on to 'book learning'.
4. No-one is thick.

Rhys Jaggar, Leeds, UK

" It could be that the definition of education that Knightley eventually reaches is a higher thing than many graduates can claim." Only art graduates, my dear. Only art graduates from redbrick universities...

Thomas Goodey, Cuxton-upon-Medway, England

I love this article - the passion is thrilling, and tangible.

Patrick, Oxford, United Kingdom

'Anyone, at any age or eminence, who considers their education to be finished is an idiot.'
I agree 100%!
I dropped out of uni because my P/T, temp jobs didn't pay enough to meet the rent. I never stopped reading & took up studying with the Open University as soon as I had a stable job.

LN, Bristol, Paris,

autodidactiwhat...? & i've got an MA hons...

eric, paris,