What is Duty of Care

McMaster University Continuing Education (Hamilton, Ontario) and the Real Institute in the Chang School, Ryerson University (Toronto, Ontario) are two university continuing education units that respond to the needs of adult learners from newcomer and international backgrounds. McMaster Continuing Education is known for its expertise in online education and support of adult learners as they seek professionally focused education. The Real Institute provides dedicated in-class programming and support strategies for younger adult learners. In this chapter, the experiences of older and younger adults from diverse cultural backgrounds studying at the two units are presented. The authors suggest that the needs of this learner group may be better met within the continuing education unit than within the mainstream academy. Innovative learning strategies and flexibility are key elements in this position. Finally, it is suggested that the two profiled units take their duty of care and commitment to student success seriously.