Online forum Tue. will examine what can be done to spur higher education in rural areas that have few colleges

More than 10 million U.S. adults live in an area that does not have any public institution of higher education within a one-hour drive, "which poses an incredible challenge for prospective students," says the Chronicle of Higher Education, which asks: "What can be done to help students in these places achieve an education?"

To answer the question, the Chronicle is holding an online forum, “Education Deserts: Supporting Rural Regions With Few Colleges,” at 2 p.m. ET Tuesday, May 23, to explore ways to expanding educational opportunities in what it calls "education deserts." To register, click here.

The speakers will be Laura Beamer, lead researcher on higher-education finance at the Jain Family Institute; Andrew Koricich, executive director of the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges and  associate professor of higher education at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C.; and Alyssa Ratledge, a research associate in postsecondary education at MDRC (formelry the Manpower Demonstration Research Corp.). Chronicle senior reporter Eric Kelderman will host.