MANAGING DISTANCE HIGHER EDUCATION BY LEARNING NEEDS

Abstract

While institutional endeavour to the development of higher education is highly demanding in face-to-face environments, it is even more challenging in distance education (DE) settings, which are based on contemporary information and communication technologies. This paper examines some DE challenges encountered and the solutions developed to address them over a recent year period at Mykolas Romeris University. Firstly, it reflects over the management strategies of educational market research employed for conducting needs assessment of academics and their potential students. Secondly, it analyses some results of survey research, which suggest using such technologies that are in accordance with students’ preferences for continuing distance education. Finally, the paper concludes with some insights on learning needs for continuing distance education that might be useful to those academics that are responsible for DE management in conventional universities and colleges.