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'Adult' students to invade

The University Council has approved in principle a scheme for a residential centre for adult students. The council approved the scheme the director of university extension, Mr. H. C. Dakin, submitted.

Financial implications are to be explored, some speakers suggesting that ultimate realisation could be a long way off.

A Council member and former principal of the Wellington Teachers' Training College, Mr. W. J. Scott, suggested that halls of residence could be used for this purpose during vacations.

As well as having educational advantages, a residential centre designed to accommodate adults would enhance the service the university gave to the community, Mr. Dakin said in a report.

It would accommodate leaders and potential leaders in various walks of life taking part in extension seminars as well as graduates attending refresher courses and a wide range of other extension students.

It could be the venue for conferences of scholars from other universities and could help specialist groups, meet overseas scholars.

Wellington with its central position provided an excellent location for an adult residential centre, being the seat of Government and of many national institutions and the headquarters of many organisations.

The presence of head offices in the city facilitated planning courses of national scope, and aided recruitment of lecturers.

The university was well equipped to deal with subject areas—social and political sciences, economics, public and business administration, law —which were best studied by adults under residential conditions.

Mr. Dakin said that apart from various professional fields such as law, accountancy, social work and administration, there were other more general fields of importance that the university was well fitted to cultivate.

These included race relations, management, industrial relations, child study, and educational administration.

New Zealand would require a high standard of continuing education and training if it was to maintain its economic position in the world of the future.

A residential study centre strategically placed and administered with the university tradition of freedom of discussion could make an important contribution to maintaining vitality and efficiency among leaders in a number of sectors of New Zealand society, he said.