A substantial portion of tertiary education is now provided outside universities, in institutions with a wide variety of characteristics. These institutions provide an alternative mechanism for expanding enrolments, and often offer better access and greater diversity than the traditional university. Many are vocational in orientation, but some offer leisure courses and some alternative routes into university study. While many focus on advanced study, others have courses at many levels. Non-university institutions sometimes emulate universities, but can also be distinctive in aims and methods. They are often less generously funded than universities, and this cannot always be justified by differences in programmes, raising important equity issues. While non-university institutions will have a clear role in future provision, their position and purpose within tertiary education systems are sometimes ambiguous. In these cases, countries need to resolve the distinctive purposes of such institutions, adapting structures and funding accordingly.