UNED

   The National University for Distance Learning (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia) was founded in 1972, at a time when similar institutions were being established in Europe and America. The UNED was set up specifically as a distance learning university on the model of the Open University established in Britain in 1965. The statutes of the UNED prescribe that its main function is to provide access to university education for suitably qualified applicants who for reasons of work or geographical location cannot enter a conventional university. Applicants are interviewed by staff of the central office of the university in order to establish their qualifications. The UNED has the same status and structure as traditional institutions: faculty organization is similar, courses and subjects have identical or similar titles, and the degrees awarded have the same value. The main innovation is the replacement of direct contact between student and teachers with private study, supported by technology and a minimum level of general guidance by staff.

   The UNED is also unique in its geographical organization. The headquarters are located in Madrid, and there are permanent local centres (centres asociados), which support the teaching provided by the university, and offer students a range of ancillary services. There are also specialized centres, the function of which is to provide an infrastructure and an operational framework for specific programmes, such as those offered in prisons and in countries outside Spain.

   The teaching units are the principal means of disseminating knowledge. These are integrated with multimedia approaches, building increasingly on the use of radio, television, video and computers. Videoconferencing allows contact between a teacher at headquarters and students in different local centres.

   The courses offered by the UNED lead either to the official qualifications of Diplomate, Licenciate (equivalent to the Honours B.A. in Britain), and third-cycle courses leading to the doctorate, or to other qualifications outside the national degree system, such as professional training for teachers, open distance learning, or postgraduate courses. In the session 1994–5, there were 118,708 students and 1,037 teachers in the mainstream programmes. The subject area which attracts most students is social and legal sciences, with 86,493, followed by humanities (17,695), engineering and technology (7,580) and natural and exact sciences (6,940).

   See also: education and research; science; student life; universities; university education

   Further reading

   The UNED itself issues a number of useful publications:

   - Diniz T. (1992) Universidad abierta/Educación a Distancia. Una alternativa de educación superior, UNED: Madrid.

   - Popa Lisseanu, D. (1988) Un reto mundial: la educación a distancia, UNED.

   - Tiana Ferrer, A. (1984) El modelo español de educación superior a distancia: la UNED, UNED: Madrid.

   - García Aretio, L. (ed.) (1996) La educación a Distancia y la UNED, UNED: Madrid.

   ALICIA ALTED