The attitudes and ideologies of staff and institutional administrators concerning the role of the multipurpose colleges of advanced education in tertiary education in Australia were investigated. The data for the investigation were gathered using two different questionnaires sent to academic staff in civil and mechanical engineering, architecture and building, business studies, and chemistry within 11 metropolitan multipurpose colleges of advanced education. Data on the perspectives of the institutions and coordinating bodies were obtained through a similar questionnaire sent to the Australian Council on Awards in Advanced Education, the State Co-ordinating Boards, and directors of multipurpose colleges of advanced education. A number of different ideologies are being held regarding the role of the multipurpose colleges of advanced education, and neither the institutions nor the staff universally accept any one of the ideologies to give the colleges of advanced education a common identity. Among the institutions, the larger colleges of advanced education seem to view their role as being very similar to that of universities, while the smaller ones sharply distinguish between themselves and universities. The central difference of opinion among the staff is the relative support that should be given to the notion of the colleges of advanced education maintaining equality of esteem with the universities while providing more vocationally, industrially, and community-oriented course programs, having entry requirements less academically rigid than universities, and providing conditions more suitable to the part-time student. Statistical analysis of the questionnaire responses is appended. (SC)