In a parallel way, during the last few years there has been a surge in organizations and institutions oriented towards post-degree studies and continuous education, which has significantly multiplied the diversity of studies and training available.

The variety and specialization of the teaching profiles of each of these organizations makes it difficult to provide an exact classification, although they could be considered as centres for post-degree studies and business schools.

The main characteristics of the studies available in these centres combine a high degree of specialization, a high level of academic demands, a shorter length of the programmes (between 8 and 24 months) than the ones of official courses, and being oriented for the most part towards students that already have a higher education university degree. The array is endless, and it goes from MBA to Cooking Schools, Foreign Trade and International Business schools, Flamenco dancing, Drama, etc, all of them aiming to meet immediate needs in the Spanish society and in the international community. They are the key element to access the labour market.

The development of this sector is the immediate consequence of the importance that the Spanish educational system gives to the idea of continuous education, or continuous training throughout a lifetime, encouraged by the big international entities (UE, UN, UNESCO, OECD, etc.)