The William and Ida Friday Center for Continuing Education is a unit of the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

. The center was created to serve the needs of

nontraditional student A nontraditional student is a term originating in North America, that refers to a category of students at colleges and universities. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) notes that there are varying definitions of nontraditional ...

s through

continuing education Continuing education (similar to further education in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland) is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United ...

programs and services.

The Friday Center

The Friday Center has three main areas of operation: a conference center, credit programs for part-time students, and professional development and enrichment programs.

Credit programs

Through the Friday Center's Credit Programs for Part-time Students, part-time learners can take classes on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus or from a distance.

Distance education Distance education, also known as distance learning, is the education of students who may not always be physically present at a school, or where the learner and the teacher are separated in both time and distance. Traditionally, this usually in ...

courses can be taken online or by correspondence, within a semester schedule or in self-paced format. Through the Friday Center, both

undergraduate Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...

and post-baccalaureate students have access to most courses offered by UNC-Chapel Hill without needing to be admitted as full-time students.

Professional development and enrichment programs

The Friday Center offers noncredit courses and seminars for personal enrichment and professional development. Enrichment Learning Each spring and fall, the Friday Center announces a new collection of courses in its Community Classroom Series. These small classes, led by UNC faculty and staff and local professionals, generally meet weekly for four to six two-hour sessions at the Friday Center. Introduced in fall 2005, a series of programs called What's the Big Idea? is presented twice a year in partnership with UNC's Office of Research Development and Endeavors magazine. Each new series features faculty experts from various disciplines who present new research in the sciences and engage participants in discussion on its impact on current events in the state, nation, and world. Professional Development The Friday Center offers professional development seminars and workshops on a variety of popular topics including management, consulting, public speaking, writing, and leadership. The Friday Center's professional development offerings are developed in partnership with university experts and

professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that professio ...

Conference facility

The continuing education conference facility was built in 1991, primarily to serve the conference facility needs of the university. Distinguishing elements of the building include a glass ceiling and polished granite interior walls. The center hosts approximately 600 events with around 50,000 participants annually. Meeting rooms and audiovisual support systems are designed to support the needs of adult learners. The building has 23 meeting areas. The building is located about three miles (5 km) from the heart of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, with close access to major highways. Meeting Rooms Meeting space consists of . Most rooms have built-in projection and sound systems, remote light-dimming systems, handicapped accessibility, and ergonomically designed seating. Meeting spaces include a 420-seat auditorium, a seminar room, large and small meeting rooms with flexible seating options, a smart classroom with 25 direct fiber-optic connections, an executive boardroom, a 416-seat dining room, lounges, and day offices. Use Policy All programs conducted at the Friday Center must have a clearly identifiable continuing education component.

William and Ida Friday

The William and Ida Friday Center for

Continuing Education Continuing education (similar to further education in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland) is an all-encompassing term within a broad list of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United ...

is named in honor of two prominent North Carolinians noted for lifetime service to education, the arts, and

public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...

William C. Friday William Clyde Friday (July 13, 1920 – October 12, 2012) was an American educator who served as the head of the University of North Carolina system from 1956 to 1986. He was born in Raphine, Virginia and raised in Dallas, North Carolina. Friday ...

served as president of the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the multi-campus public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the NC School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referred to as the UNC Sy ...

for thirty years. A painter and sculptor, his wife Ida Friday has promoted the arts and has played an active role in North Carolina's civic, cultural, and educational organizations. The Fridays have received numerous awards and honors, including the North Carolina Public Service Award and the Long Leaf Pine Award for their service to the state. Mr. and Mrs. Friday are graduates of UNC-Chapel Hill, where Mr. Friday earned a degree in law and Mrs. Friday earned a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in public health.

References

External links

Official webpage
{{DEFAULTSORT:Friday Center For Continuing Education University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill