This booklet, which was produced as a follow-up to the Fifth International Conference on Adult Education, examines the role of universities in adult learning. The booklet begins with a brief overview of the conference workshop on which it is based. The following issues and challenges facing universities are considered: inequalities within universities; the need for universities to open their doors to a broader range of adults; community needs; and economic needs. The next several sections cite examples of university adult education programs in various countries and illustrate how different countries are doing the following: defining the concept of university-based adult and continuing education; redefining universities' role in view of economic and technological changes; responding to the unique needs of different groups of adult learners, including members of indigenous populations; seeking to attract more students from minority groups and to increase their emphasis on community-based learning; conducting and sharing the results of community-based research; and developing partnerships with industry and business. The examples presented are drawn from South Africa, Australia, the United States, and Norway. Concluding the booklet are overviews of the dilemmas posed for university education by economic and social changes and the need to "mainstream" university adult learning. (MN)