Higher Education, the institutions as well as the associations, have long regarded adult or extension education as a stepchild; consequently, instructional broadcasting as an educational medium has been all but ignored. Yet by 1976 the establishment of the University of North America, a confederation of several radically different regional higher education institutions and agencies will be proclaimed. These institutions will have their origin in the concept of the Open University, pioneered in Great Britain and Japan, and will bring a multimedia approach to continuing higher education. For example, the University of New England, one of the regional institutions, will consist of a confederation of junior colleges, colleges, universities, and educational agencies. Television will be the principal teaching medium, supplemented by radio, correspondence courses, films, tapes etc. It will have a curriculum for today's world and will be open to all who are interested. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting should be the advocate of continuing education and instructional broadcasting in the national councils of higher education. Elements essential for the establishment of open universities are: (1) a cadre of leadership from higher and continuing education, and public and instructional broadcasting; (2) resources; (3) credibility; (4) research on the adult learner and on the most effective use of television for learning; and (5) planning. (AF)