Office of Continuing Education

From 1917 until 1958 the University of Adelaide's adult education program was run by the Joint Committee for WEA Tutorial Classes. In conjunction with the Workers Education Association, tutorial classes provided facilities in University education for people who had no intention of proceeding to a degree, and were unable to attend ordinary University courses.

In 1958 the Committee was replaced by the Board of Adult Education and Department of Adult Education under the directorship of A S M Hely. [1]

Under Hely a programme of work was organised which in scope and diversity compared favourably with that of any other Australian univiersity.  In a typical year, about 60 classes in English Literature, foreign languages, the sciences, politics, international affairs, and many other fields, were now given in collaboration with the W.E.A.; about 20-30 courses for special or professional groups were provided; and about 20-30 schools or seminars varying in duration from a day to a weekend to a month.  Such programmes attracted to the University many people who would otherwise have had no connection with it. [2]

In 1978, the Board was renamed the Board of Continuing Education and in 1983 a review resulted in its becoming the Committee of Continuing Education. This was subsequently dis-established in 1986 when the Office of Continuing Education moved into the Registry.

Professional and Continuing Education [PCE] was created in 1999 by the amalgamation of LOCUS Staff Development and the Office of Continuing Education (previously the Department of Continuing Education and Department of Adult Education). It operated under the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) and included programs in Professional Development, Language, Culture, Year 12 revision, English Language Skills, Study Tours and Project Management.[3]

In 2021, Professional and Continuing Education moved from the Office of Academic and Student Engagement to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) and was renamed the English Language Centre. However, the title Professional and Continuing Education [PACE] remained after Executive Education moved from the Adelaide Business School and into the newly-created Education Transformation office in the Division of Academic and Student Engagement [DASE]. PACE offers five streams of learning, including industry specific, custom, executive, online and short courses.[4]

Directors, Adult/Continuing Education

• Arnold Stanley Mcmath Hely, MA, BCom (NZ), 1957-1965
• James Wilfred Warburton, OAM, MA (Otago), 1966-1981

Arnold Stanley McMath Hely (1907-1967)

References:
1. ‘Organisational Chart August 1999’, Adelaide University Annual Report 1999, Series 27, University of Adelaide Annual Reports, University of Adelaide Archives, p.10.

2. The University of Adelaide, 1874-1974: A Statement of the Case for Supporting the University's Centenary Appeal.  1972.

3. ‘Organisational Chart August 1999’, Adelaide University Annual Report 1999, op cit.

4.Professional and Continuing Education (PACE), University of Adelaide website, viewed December 2020, https://www.adelaide.edu.au/pace/.