Governments face inherent difficulties in regulating the delivery of distance education. When delivery crosses national borders, the problems are compounded.

The scope of the regulatory problems governments may face is illustrated by an instructive example from Hong Kong: the number of overseas institutions delivering MBA programs in the territory was recently estimated at more than 40.

There are two major national and international concerns:

• What authority do governments have over outside providers of programs?
• What protection can governments provide to their own citizens and institutions in the face of outside providers?