Until recently, the courses were offered only in the United States, mainly through downloading to companies, but they are now being offered to the Pacific Rim and soon will be available throughout Latin America. You can think of the National Technological University as becoming the first global virtual university. At both of the education conferences, distance learning, the impact of technology on education and communication, and the shape of the university of the future were hotly debated. There will be a premium on college degrees in the 21st century, and an increased emphasis on lifelong learning. While there can be no substitute for the traditional campus-based culture of an academic community, the fact remains that universities are very expensive to maintain.
Distance learning is cheap, and it can be delivered to remote and underdeveloped areas efficiently.
Being a member of a faculty or having a university degree is considered special. The competition is keen, based strictly on ability, and education is heavily subsidized. The concept of tuition is still new in these countries, although many are now starting to charge modest fees. But the United States is recognized, everywhere you go, as having the best system of higher education in the world. The American degree is highly prized, and competition for fellowships and assistantships to Maryland by Asians is intense.