ABSTRACT
China's distance higher education is run on a special system, one which uses radio and television as its main media to deliver teaching programmes. The system is formed by radio and television universities at the central and local levels which have made it possible for more than two million people to receive higher education over the past eight years. Radio and television programmes are broadcast nationally by Central China Television (CCTV) via its microwave network and by local radio and television stations all over the country. Television teaching programmes are also transmitted by China Education Television (CETV) via satellite covering China's vast territory of 9.6 million square kilometres. Taking into account the number of students and their geographical distribution, China's radio and television university is not only the largest institute of higher education in China, but also the greatest distance teaching university in the world.
