Distance learning programs are giving traditional universities a run for their money when it comes to offering 'life long learning' programs. The flexibility of distance learning programs, not only geographically, but also the ability to create your own schedule, is a tough to follow for traditional universities with a lack of institutional flexibility. This paper from the Journal of University Teaching and Learning gives a good overview of these issues.

"[A]re traditional universities able to compete with other independent education providers in relation to social demands for 'life long learning' and globalised education services?" Gurmak Singh, John O'Donoghue, and Harvey Worton think that eLearning has a "fundamental impact on the structure of higher education." Online-only corporate and virtual universities compete with traditional colleges and universities for some of the same students. Even though traditional higher education institutions have the advantage of established reputations, to maintain this competitive edge, they need to incorporate more flexibility into their existing structure.