Critical influences that will affect continuing education at land-grant and public universities in the early decades of the twenty-first century were identified by a panel of 17 experts. Using a Delphi Technique, the panel first identified 147 critical influences, and then reduced that number to the 34 deemed to be very likely to occur in continuing education at land-grant universities in the next century. Of most importance were the categories "technology,""demographics,""society," and "curriculum." The findings suggest the following will occur in the next century for continuing education programs at land-grant universities: increasing use of educational telecommunications; sensitivity to evolving shifts in student demographics; increased concern about how social problems such as crime, drugs, illiteracy and retraining relate to learning; and increased concern over programming content and outcomes and greater involvement to create curricula that are more tailored to the specific program needs of continuing education. Based on the findings and a literature review, 15 recommendations, are offered regarding continuing education at land-grant and public universities. Five tables categorize the data collected. (Contains 138 references.) (SW)