In the past five years University College Galway has provided courses to 2,500 people who are not full time students.
Six hundred adults are currently taking diploma and non-diploma courses. University College Galway has also linked up with the University of Ulster to provide a course in Social Action run in Letterkenny in Donegal.
The extramural courses began in 1969 benefiting people in over 40 western communities. Seamus O'Grady, Secretary to the Board for Extramural Studies explains that demand for these courses continues to grow across a range of demographics.
Over the last few years, there's a general increase in awareness of the value of adult education.
Seamus O'Grady says that the courses at UCG are designed to equip and encourage potential leaders to play a fuller role in the development of society. He points to the positive impact of adult education but acknowledges how vunerable funding is for these course.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 19 February 1975. The reporters are Dermot Mullane and Jim Fahy.
