The Role of Colleges of Advanced Education in the Education of Adults. A Report to the Australian Commission on Advanced Education.

Overview & Synopsis

This report to the Australian Commission on Advanced Education is intended as a basis for discussion by those who have the responsibility for making program and policy decisions in continuing education in Australia's colleges of advanced education. Though the idea that education is continuous with life is coming to be widely accepted intellectually in Australia, it has, as yet, made little impact on educational planning and policy. One result of the establishment of colleges of advanced education might be improved learning habits in the adult community, resulting in an increased demand for adult education. Colleges of advanced education have the resources to make a broadly based contribution to adult education, and, since their primary concern is with the application of knowledge in the day-to-day world, adult education is consonant with their purpose. Colleges of advanced education would benefit the community, the nation, and themselves through involvement in adult education. Colleges of advanced education are currently much less involved in adult education than are comparable institutions in the U.S.A., Canada, and the United Kingdom. But, given the need and resources, considerable growth seems inevitable. However, if growth is not carefully planned, it will not be as beneficial as it might be and might find itself serving only advantaged groups. A first step toward planned growth should be discussion and definition of policy, involving all concerned policy-making groups. (Author/KM)