This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license. This book describes the history structure
and institutions of open and distance education in six countries: Australia Brazil Canada
Germany the UK and the US. It discusses how open and distance education is evolving in a
digital age to reflect the needs and circumstances of national higher education systems in
these countries and explores the similarities and differences between the ways in which they
are organized and structured. It is the first book to make such comparisons and draw
conclusions about the nature of open and distance education in the context of various national
higher education systems. In a digital era with growing use of online education as well as open
and distance education this book is particularly useful for policy-makers and senior
administrators who want to learn about organizing and expanding open and distance education
provision. It is also a valuable reference for researchers academics and students interested
in understanding the different approaches to open and distance education.
