DCU has been providing Irish and foreign adults with flexible access to higher education for over 35 years. In 1982 the National Distance Education Centre was located at DCU and for many years offered programmes in the traditional ‘distance education’ mode of delivery. It changed to Oscail – DCU Online Education in 2004 to reflect the reality that its programmes were increasingly designed with large elements of online support. In 2013, DCU launched the National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) with the Open Education Unit as part of the new institute. This Unit manages an increasing number of online courses and degree programmes offered to Irish residents and students around the world through DCU Connected.