The key features of continuous lifelong learning are open access, recognition of learning wherever it takes place, and new learning networks and partnerships. Lifelong learning is at the heart of the development of the virtual university, which must be a real university offering opportunities otherwise unavailable. (SK)

Describes activities resulting from a 1997 Minnesota state mandate which called for the development of a statewide virtual university. Measures the results to date against two classification systems and several sets of readiness criteria for virtual universities. Offers recommendations for advancing virtual university partnerships. (Author/DB)

Based on a review of the latest trends in organizing distance education, this report finds that distance education can be a great asset as long as academic decision-making is made by teaching professionals. Discusses programs at existing higher education institutions, corporate-university partnerships, virtual universities, and corporate training…

Discusses the need to revise concepts of teaching and learning in relation to technology. Topics include distance learning; accountability in learning and the outcomes of the educational process; the relationship between humans and technology; globalization; measuring an organization's knowledge; assessment; regulating agencies; and the role of…

What has been called "degree recognition" has become the subject of considerable attention in Canadian higher education within the past decade. While concerns similar to those that are being voiced today have arisen occasionally in the past, the scale of this phenomenon today is unprecedented historically. In response to the increased…

In spring 1999, the Open University (OU) of the United Kingdom created the U.S. Open University (USOU) to coincide with the explosive growth of online education in the United States. The institution's first chancellor, Richard S. Jarvis (previously chancellor of the University and Community College System of Nevada), began hiring U.S. staff and…

The purpose of this study was to examine existing data to determine if a significant difference existed between student evaluations from an online asynchronous and an online synchronous learning environment, as well as their impact on retaining students. The data available were from a national online university that serves students across the…

This paper reports on the work of a European Commission DG Education and Culture co-financed project PBP-VC, Promoting Best Practice in Virtual Campuses, which is aimed at providing a deeper understanding of the key issues and critical success factors underlying the implementation of virtual campuses. The paper outlines a tentative model of issues…

This article describes a network among the Commonwealth's 28 smallest countries created to enhance the professional capacity of educators, developing new course materials, and enabling the transfer of courses and qualifications across borders. The focus is on topics such as entrepreneurship, tourism, professional development of educators, life…

The arrival of the Internet has been seen to portend the rise of the virtual university, global competition, and the end of campus education. The emerging economics of electronic commerce (eCommerce) allows for a measured understanding of the implications of the new technologies for higher education and even how educational innovation should be…

"Network News" provides an overview of technology's impact on postsecondary education. Particular attention is paid to recent studies looking at distance education and access. This issue contains the following articles: (1) New NCES Report: Distance Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions 2000-2001; (2) How Does Technology Affect…

This proceedings of the International Association of Technological University Libraries (IATUL) contains the opening address by IATUL president Nancy Fjallbrant and the full text of the following papers: "Building Info-Skills by Degrees: Embedding Information Literacy in University Study" (Wendy Abbott and Deborah Peach); "UQ…

The impact of "virtual" universities on higher education and on Latino students was studied through interviews with Latino students and faculty at Walden University, an accredited distributed learning graduate school. Attracting career-bound practitioner scholars, Walden achieves high minority enrollments (around 37%) and significant…

Briefly outlines the early history of distance education programs in the 1960s, emphasizing the success of the Open University in the United Kingdom. Discusses 10 individual models of virtual universities that are international in scope. (JKP)

Clyde Virtual University, Scotland (CVU) is a test bed for exploring, developing and evaluating techniques for delivering learning materials, supporting collaborative learning and carrying out assessment over the Internet. CVU's first year of operation is reported on, in which an extensive educational Web site was designed and implemented.…