Academic continuing education has often not been sufficiently recognized as a systematic resource for higher education development. The latest issue of ZFHE examines how it can nonetheless play a crucial role in advancing higher education. The focus is on the role of academic continuing education as an agile element within academic practice, highlighting its early identification of needs, flexibility compared to regular degree programs, and strong service and performance orientation. The practice-oriented concepts in this issue provide valuable insights that can be applied to other universities. This issue invites reflection on the future development of higher education and offers new perspectives.
