Continuing Education, the University, and the Development Process

Abstract

Continuing higher education has the potential to make a major contribution to the development process, for there is a great and growing need in both the more and less economically developed countries to provide older adults with opportunities for degree study as well as professional and technical training. Yet in most universities, faculty members tend to view continuing education as a low prestige, marginal activity.

Open universities and other non-traditional educational institutions fill part of the need. But regular universities will not be able to avoid assuming a larger role, and cooperative arrangements are called for between universities in advanced technological countries and developing areas to facilitate a broad expansion of continuing education programmes.