SI : Universities are peculiar institutions. S6: It is the most important institution in the complex process of knowledge creation and distribution. P: Traditionally elite institutions, the modem university has provided social mobility to previously disfranchised groups. Q : The contemporary university stands at the centre of its society. R : They have common historical roots yet are deeply embedded in their societies. S : Established in the medieval period to transmit established knowledge and provide training for a few key professions, universities have become a primary creator of new knowledge through basic research. The proper sequence should be
- AP S Q R
- BS Q R P
- CS P R Q
- DR P S Q
Explanation
R is the general opening: universities have common historical roots yet are embedded in their societies. P gives the first historical shift (elite institutions providing social mobility). S traces the medieval origins and the turn into creators of new knowledge. Q brings it to the present: the contemporary university at the centre of society. S6 ('It is the most important institution in knowledge creation and distribution') caps Q. Hence RPSQ, i.e. option D.