Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education-TOJDE July 2008 ISSN 1302-6488 Volume: 9 Number: 3 Article 12

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STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CONTINUING EDUCATION CENTERS AT TURKISH UNIVERSITIES

Assist. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Metin ARSLAN

Kirikkale University

Kirikkale, TURKEY

ABSTRACT

Continuing education centers mainly organize activities for the society in the fields that have gained importance on the improvement of individuals with a view of career building, improving professional knowledge and skills, achieving new skills and supplying individual development needs. Such centers have been established within universities through the principle of making continuing education accessible to everyone as a starting point for a lifelong learning process. These centers which aim at providing continuing education, implement more flexible programs compared to those executed at higher education institutions. In this study, the structure and functions of Continuing Education Centers at Turkish Universities are investigated. The scope of the study includes all the centers that have web pages established under state and public universities in Turkey. Data pertaining to structure and functions of the centers meeting this criterion, the number of which is 43 in total comprising 34 state and 9 private universities, have been evaluated. As a result of the study it was discovered that these centers had very similar foundation principles and organizational structures.

Keywords: Continuing education centers, lifelong learning, public and state universities