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New insight on higher education is presented in this volume, derived from the study of universities in Austria, Finland, France, Germany, the UK and the USA. Learning frameworks, management and provisions are among the elements discusses.

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Anke Hanft and Michaela Knust The present study examines and compares the structure and organisation of c- tinuing higher education in six countries: Austria, Finland, France, Germany, the UK and the USA. The focus is not just on current continuing education provisions at higher education institutions but also on the institutions themselves and their surrounding milieu. The study also attempts to move away from a purely national angle and to approach the topic from an international perspective. The conclusion is reached that when it comes to the development, establishment and professional implementation of continuing education provisions, German higher education ins- tutions lag behind the other countries in the comparison in almost all areas. The main ndings in terms of the three levels ´system´, ´institution´, and ´programme´ are summarised below. 1 Continuing Education in the Higher Education System There are considerable divergences, both nationally and internationally, in the d- inition of the German term "wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung" ("academic c- tinuing education"). In the English-speaking world, a variety of terms such as "lifelong learning", "adult education", "continuing education", "continuing higher education", "university-level continuing education" or "continuing professional development" are often used as synonyms without any precise differentiation - and this is not perceived as a problem.

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Anke Hanft, Michaela Knust.- Executive Summary.- Ulrich Teichler, Anke Hanft.- Continuing Higher Education in a State of Flux: An International Comparison of the Role and Organisation of Continuing Higher Education.- Wolfgang Müskens, Anke Hanft.- Design of the international comparative study.- Anke Hanft, Michaela Knust.- Comparative overview of study results.- Peter Faulstich, Gernot Graeßner, Ursula Bade-Becker, Bianca Gorys.- Continuing Higher Education in Germany.- Olaf Zawacki-Richter, Alexandra Reith.- Continuing Higher Education in Finland.- Torsten Dunkel, Isabelle Le Mouillour.- Continuing Higher Education in France.- Brigitte Geldermann, Susanne Schade.- Continuing Higher Education in the United Kingdom.- Ada Pellert, Eva Cendon.- Continuing Higher Education in Austria.- Heinke Röbken.- Continuing Higher Education in the United States of America (USA) 301.- Michaela Knust, Anke Hanft.- Corporate universities and research associations as players in continuing higher education.- About the authors.

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