Europe's socioeconomic climate will undergo rapid change as the single market becomes a reality and technological change accelerates. With companies in some countries now spending more collectively on training than their governments spend on the higher education sector, it is essential to map out a new European strategy for training for the 1990s. This strategy should include the following key components: training information systems, interinstitutional networks, economic and social cohesion, individual achievements profiles, modular course construction, and distance learning. The absolute distinction between institutional and distance learning will likely disappear. The role, scope, and scale of open distance learning in the European Community will expand greatly in response to the general upgrading of skills and knowledge that will be required as economies become much more knowledge dependent. Another important factor is the demographic challenge posed by the overall aging of the population. The European Association of Distance Teaching Universities will play an important role in the expansion of open distance learning in Europe in promoting collaboration between open universities and traditional institutions and in serving as a permanent "lobbyist" for open distance learning at the European Community level. (MN)