A comprehensive, interactive conference was designed to help improve the quality of external degree programs and adult education. Sixteen papers are presented as follows: (1) "Designing Self-Instructional Print Material for the Adult Learner" (Diane J. Davis); (2) "Degrees by Alternative Delivery for U.S. Soldiers and Sailors" (Clinton L. Anderson); (3) "Quality and Assessment Issues in Graduate Education External Degree Programs" (Jules O. Pagano); (4) "Model Policy on Awarding Credit for Extrainstitutional Learning" (Henry A. Spille); (5) "A Model for Graduate Education in Ministry by Extension: The Loyola Institute for Ministry Extension Program" (Marcel J. Dumestre and Barbara J. Fleischer); (6) "Affecting Retention in a Non-Instructional Degree Program" (Thomas A. Wright and Jan-Marie A. Spanard); (7) "The Cultural Context of Adult Education and the Principle of Dialogue" (Lee W. Herman); (8) "Developing Collaborative Academic Partnerships: A Strategy for Advancing our National Economic Competitiveness Agenda" (Sonja A. Eveslage and Iris Saltiel); (9) "Adult Students, Technology, and General Education: New Tools for Curriculum Reform" (Gary E. Miller); (10) "A Sense of Strategy: Adult Student Writers and the World of Work" (Gail Hall); (11) "Intensive Time Formats in Adult External Degree Programs" (E. Gary Shapiro and Julia A. Daniels); (12) "Renovating Innovation: The Challenge of Maturity in the Innovative College" (Douglas B. Johnstone); (13) "Innovation: The Conflict Between Freedom and Structure" (Michael Andolina); (14) "Opening Minds Through the Liberal Arts in an Adult Degree Program" (Mary-Curt Browning and Judith K. McCormick); (15) "It's No Party but--Adult Students as Guests (Colleges as Hosts)" (Barbara Cherem); and (16) "Orientation of Adults to College Content and Outcomes of a Re-Entry Course" (Elizabeth Steltenpohl and Jane Shipton). (SM)