文档介绍：Higher education in the . is also called postsecondary education. It is not divided into different sectors (university, non-university, etc.) as are some other national systems and it is a diverse and munity of publicly and privately supported institutions. Current data indicate that there are some 2,819 institutions offering a Bachelor's or higher degree; 2,657 institutions offering at least an associate's degree but less than a bachelor's degree; and 4,927 institutions offering shorter non-degree programmes of less than two years are classified in the following categories: 1) RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES (I and II): Comprehensive doctorate-granting institutions that operate extensive theoretical and applied research programmes in a wide variety of disciplines; 2) DOCTORATE-GRANTING UNIVERSITIES (I and II): Institutions prehensive studies in a wide variety of disciplines but which do not award the Doctorate in as many fields as do research universities; 3) MASTER'S (COMPREHENSIVE) UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES (I and II): Institutions offering academic and professional programmes at the Bachelor's and Master's degree levels, and first-professional degrees, but which do not award the research Doctorate; 4) ALAUREATE (LIBERAL ARTS) COLLEGES (I and II): Institutions offering academic and professional programmes at the Bachelor's degree level, but not higher degrees;