The Southeast Missouri Educational Consortium wants to improve the qualify of life in the region by providing residents with greater access to higher education.

The consortium of colleges recently approved a strategic plan. The consortium plans to hold public forums in 10 Southeast Missouri cities as part of a needs assessment, Southeast Missouri State University officials said. The strategic plan was approved by the consortium's steering committee at its semiannual meeting Oct. 12 in St. Louis.

Members of the consortium are Southeast, Lincoln University, Mineral Area College, Three Rivers Community College and the University of Missouri system.

Under the plan, the consortium plans to focus on delivery of courses through a telecommunications system.

Southeast Missouri State plans to develop two additional higher education centers by 2001. In addition to these, a new Sikeston Area Higher Education Center is being built. It is designed to make post-secondary education courses and technical training more accessible to Sikeston area residents.

The consortium's strategic plan also calls for improving the quality of life in Southeast Missouri by involving the consortium in social welfare and economic development issues, school officials said. The group plans to address this goal by developing a regional public service center, enhancing work force development programming through regional technical education councils, and boosting the impact of Small Business Development Centers throughout the region.

The strategic plan calls for monitoring and tracking progress toward these goals in an annual report.