Old Dominion University's regional higher education centers (RHECs) have three locations in Virginia Beach, Hampton and Portsmouth. They serve as regional gateways and provide accessible, high quality education in the Hampton Roads area, providing high-demand and critical shortage professions with select graduate and undergraduate degree, certificate and continuing education programs offered in traditional and non-traditional formats including distance learning. In addition, the RHECs support the strategic partnerships and community engagement initiatives of the University, and also provide training and professional development space for many local school and business partners.