University Extension

UNIVERSITY EXTENSION, a term applied to the provision of lectures or other teaching by universities for the gen eral public, not members of the university.

Great Britain.

The idea of extending the range of advanced teaching beyond the walls of the universities was not a wholly new one in the 19th century, but it was not taken up with perti nacity till the early '705. At that time a young Fellow of Trinity, James Stuart, approached his own university of Cambridge for the recognition of extra-mural work. He had been specially im pressed with the needs of two classes who had sought his help- the working men of Crewe and an association for the higher edu cation of ladies in the north of England. Cambridge gave its official support in 1873 and Mr. (afterwards Professor) Stuart developed a system, not merely of lectures, but of classes.

Before long Oxford followed suit and a London society was formed which has since been absorbed by the University of Lon don. The old Victoria university (Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds) took its share of the work.

Before the end of the century every large town in England and most small ones had a university extension centre, the sub jects studied including history, geography, literature, art, music, science, economics. Since then the older type of extra-mural work, called officially university extension at Oxford and Lon don and university local lectures at Cambridge, has continued to advance. Even during the World War a large number of courses were delivered.

The period since the war has shown a remarkable develop ment of university tutorial classes, begun by Oxford in 1908 and soon taken up by other universities. The system, like the older type, provides for lectures, discussion classes and paper work; but the membership is limited to a small number, formerly 32 and now 24, of students pledged to fulfil the conditions for three years. In 1910--11 the number of classes was 72 and stud ents 1,829; in 1927-28 these had increased to 591 and 10,778 respectively. In addition there were 83 preparatory classes with

1,709 students. Substantial grants in aid are made by the Board of Education and local authorities.

The central joint advisory committee on tutorial classes, formed in 1909, was one of the first bodies to represent all the universi ties and university colleges in England and Wales. It also has direct representation of the joint committees which manage the work in each case, and which include members nominated by the Workers' Educational Association (q.v.). In 1925 a consulta tive committee was formed, consisting of all the extra-mural offi cials. It is concerned with all branches of the movement and not only with the tutorial classes. At the congresses of univer sities of the empire, held in 1912 and 1921, a prominent place was given to teaching work outside the walls. The tutorial class movement has flourished in Australia and New Zealand.

Every university and university college in England and Wales is now conducting tutorial classes. Several have started uni versity extension work of the older type, a development which has been made possible by the issue in Aug. 1924 of new regula tions of the Board of Education in providing for grants in aid.

One of the most promising developments is the plan, recom mended by the royal commission, of bringing up to the university adult students who have gone through a course of extra-mural instruction. At both Oxford and Cambridge a number of such students are now in residence for at least a year, and experience is already showing that, besides widening their own outlook, they contribute an element of great value to the undergraduate life of the places. All will return to their homes with powers of greater service to the community, and many will become valuable teachers in the adult education movement. (See also ADULT EDUCATION.)