As more adults than ever before enroll in postsecondary education programs and a variety of players—from bootcamps to online and mobile course providers—offer options tailored to match adults’ work and family circumstance, traditional colleges and universities have struggled to keep pace.

Yet there’s no reason why traditional schools can’t catch up. Those with a continuing education program have a valuable asset they should leverage as their hub of innovation to improve opportunities not just for adults but for all students.