Page 332 - Universitas Terbuka Center of Excellence In Asia 2010 and The World 2020 (A Journey Towards a Leading Open and Distance Education Institution 1984-2008)

reasoning, style of work, work ethics of all UT's personnel to be more
professional and autonomous in the implementation and management of distance

higher education institution.

The government and society worldwide are challenged to improve access to
and participation in higher education. The need to realize higher education for all

and globalization of higher education has attracted many higher education
institutions to apply the system of distance education . During the last quarter of

the last century, the system of open university has been developed by many
countries in the world in order to accommodate the increasing demands and

needs to higher education in many countries, from the highly populated countries
like China , India, Pakistan , and Indonesia, to the less populated countries like

The Netherlands, Sri Lanka , and Malaysia. The system of distance education is
steadily increasing , with more institutions operating with double system,

providing flexibility to students to study in distance mode or face-to-face, in
campus or at home and workplace , or combination of face-to-face and at a

distance, or full-time and part time .

Internationalization of higher education has encouraged the provision of
distance education services in global scale , because the system of distance

education is within the reach of the community and can be effectively applied to
provide cross-country and transnational distance education services . Advanced

information technology and communication is now pushing distance education
institutions to extensively offer cross-country non-traditional programs, and

provide services to clients living in any part of the planet. The needs for
universal access and education for all pose a challenge and opportunity to higher

education institutions of any form to change and adapt. Changes in higher
education paradigm , societal needs and new technology have made indistinct line

between systems of traditional face-to-face education, non-traditional and

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