The Folk Development Colleges (FDCs) have played a part in the adult education system in Tanzania since 1970s. The colleges were established by former `Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere and with inspiration from the Swedish folk high schools. The FDCs have survived several milestones and changes, including a withdrawal of fund from SIDA and shifts from one ministry to another. The aim of this paper is to give a thematic overview of the research conducted on FDCs. One main theme is the relations between various national and international stakeholders. This type of studies, primarily, focuses on how ideas are transferred and developed at a system level. Another theme is the achievements and challenges of running the FDC activities, particularly in relation to (non-)available resources. What seem to be less researched, however, were the actual practices of the FDCs. Since they are influenced both by ideas and actors at the system level and conditioned by the local school community and the resources available, such a focus would contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the FDC.