Education, a basic need, is the foundation of developing countries such as Bangladesh. Ignorance and illiteracy are obstacles to growth and technological progress. Formal schooling must be supplemented with nonformal education, distance education, and out-of-school education for workers who want to continue their studies. Universities must develop mass education programs and alternative systems to eliminate discrimination against rural and disadvantaged groups. The relationship between universities and the adult world should address the underuse of human resources. One alternative, the open university, delivers mass education through a multimedia approach and structured courses for home-based students. Three factors affect educational development: (1) financial constraints; (2) continued rapid population growth; and (3) structural changes in the economy. Through the use of new communication techniques, access to educational programs can be extended to large rural audiences through satellite communication and fiber optic cable. By using both conventional and alternative educational systems, there will be a pooling of knowledge and ideas. (NLA)