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In its response to the Government Green Paper on Higher Education (Cmnd 9524), the Open University argues the case for a significant expansion of its activities in the next decade. The OU document Into the 1990s (in a 51pp A5 booklet), points to the growth in the population of its main age‐group, the 30–40 year olds, of which there will be a million more in the next decade than there are now, and the ever‐increasing national need for retraining and updating to meet technological development. It argues that, with a successful track record in meeting the educational needs of adults for part‐time higher education for the past 15 years, the OU should now be expanded to meet this growing demand. It has chosen to make a separate response to the Green Paper because its situation is so different from that of all other British universities, since it is not only the main provider of part‐time first degrees but has also become a major training resource for industry. A total of nearly half‐a‐million people have studied with or through the University since its foundation. Despite this, demand continues to outstrip the number of places available both on degree courses and some vocational updating courses. The OU urges the Government to clarify and coordinate the role of various agencies which are taking initiatives in the continuing education field which, while welcome in themselves, could be more effective were a defined framework to emerge.