Whereas distance education was formerly on the periphery of education and the realm of institutions with questionable academic credentials, it has been gradually gaining acceptance, is becoming mainstreamed, and is being embraced by traditional universities. The use of distance technologies is challenging the traditional structures of higher education institutions and it has been predicted that distance education technologies will precipitate changes in existing organizational models. This is not an unexpected outcome, as changes in technology precipitate changes in work relationships and in the way output is produced. The exact form that universities of the future will take in response to these changes is uncertain.
This paper discusses distance education in the light of the challenges that it poses to higher education and its role as a driver of structural and cultural change. Emergent models and possible future directions will also be explored.
