Academics’ resistance of external course pressures: Attempts to establish external studies at Monash University 1958–70

The control of funds has enabled the Commonwealth Government of Australia to achieve just recently the successful introduction of distance education programmes to Monash University, even though provision of correspondence classes was written into the objects of the university, founded thirty years ago. This paper seeks to explain why earlier attempts failed, through reference to academic structure, academic rationale, and the role of governing bodies.