Abstract:

Nowadays, it is not uncommon to find working individuals to involve themselves with continuing education at tertiary level. These working adults have high aspirations to keep abreast with current knowledge and competency, and better academic achievement to ensure a more secured professional development and promotion that consequently leads to better standard of living.
In this regard, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia has, since 1992, established the School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE) with an aspiration to become an education hub that promotes tertiary continuing education especially in the fields of science and technology. Provision of academic programmes has been emphasised on part-time and professional continuing education. Part-time learners are mostly captivated by this mode of learning due to the flexibility of the Teaching and Learning system and relevance to work situation, need to keep abreast with current knowledge, personal achievement and self development, and value-for-money and affordable.
This paper highlights the experience of UTMSPACE in running its part-time programmes for the past 16 years. Several topics are addressed, including management of learners and staff, quality assurance and recognition of the programme and graduate employability.

Keywords:

Part-Time Programme, Continuing Education, Life-long Learning.