Community college

A community college is a special kind of school for students who have finished high school. It helps people learn new skills or get ready to move on to a bigger university. At a community college, students can earn an associate degree, a certificate, or a diploma. These schools often welcome everyone who wants to learn, no matter their background.

Community colleges focus on teaching skills that are useful for jobs and also offer classes that can help students transfer to a university later. Some even have sports teams and places for students to live, just like bigger colleges. They are important because they give many people a chance to keep learning and improve their lives.

Australia

Further information: Tertiary education in Australia

In Australia, "community college" means small private schools that offer short courses, like six-week classes, for fun or self-improvement. Similar places are called Technical and Further Education colleges or TAFEs. These schools are mostly run by state and territory governments.

TAFEs and other schools continue a long tradition of adult learning that started in Australia in the mid-1800s with evening classes to help adults improve their math and reading skills. Today, courses at TAFEs and colleges help people develop skills for personal growth or for jobs. Topics can include arts, languages, business, and lifestyle. Classes might meet two to four days a week, depending on the course. Some courses are short, like a Certificate I that meets for just 4 hours twice a week over 9 weeks. Others, like a full-time Diploma, might meet four days a week for a whole year. Evenings and weekends are also options for people who work full-time. Funding comes from government grants and student fees, and many of these schools are non-profit.

Over time, the education provided by TAFEs and colleges has changed. By the 1980s, many started offering computer training, and thousands of people have since learned new IT skills. By the late 20th century, most had become Registered Training Organisations, giving people a friendly, flexible place to learn skills for the workplace. While TAFEs and colleges usually don’t offer bachelor’s degrees, they often help students move on to university programs. Recently, some TAFE institutes and private providers have started offering bachelor’s degrees themselves. They commonly offer Certificate courses I to IV, diplomas, and advanced diplomas, with the latter being similar to an undergraduate qualification but often focused on practical job skills.

Canada

Main article: College (Canada)

In Canada, colleges are places for adults to learn. They give out certificates and diplomas. Sometimes they are called "institutes" or "polytechnic institutes". In Ontario, 24 colleges can give their own degrees and also work with universities so students can earn both a diploma and a degree.

Colleges in Canada started offering practical education and training in the 1960s and 1970s for young people and immigrants. They are either publicly funded or private. Students can often move from a college diploma to a university degree by using their college credits.

The term associate degree in Western Canada refers to a two-year college program in arts or science. In Quebec, students usually spend three years in college before getting a university degree. Here, colleges are often called Cégeps, short for the French term Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel.

Canadian community college systems

• List of colleges in Canada
• Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) – publicly funded educational institutions; formerly the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC)
• National Association of Career Colleges – privately funded educational institutions; formerly the Association of Canadian Career Colleges

India

Further information: University Grants Commission (India)

In India, there are 98 community colleges approved by the University Grants Commission. These colleges offer courses like diplomas, advanced diplomas, and certificates. Students usually finish these courses in six months to two years.

Malaysia

Community colleges in Malaysia help people learn important job skills. These schools offer training for students who have finished high school, helping them get ready to start working. They also provide short courses for people in rural areas, making it easier for everyone to learn new skills.

Right now, most community colleges offer certificates up to Level 3 in the Malaysian Qualifications Framework. This is two steps below a bachelor's degree. Students who want to study more can go to public universities, polytechnics, or private schools.

Philippines

See also: Local colleges and universities (Philippines)

In the Philippines, a community school works as an elementary or secondary school during the day. In the evening, it changes into a community college. This type of school offers night classes led by the same teachers who also work during the day.

The idea of a community college started with the old Ministry of Education, which later became a department and is now called DepEd. A leader named Cecilio Putong described these schools as places created by and for local communities. Another person from Pangasinan liked this idea, which led to the creation of the City College of Urdaneta.

Some community colleges, like the one in Abuyog, Leyte, can run with a yearly budget of ₱124,000, using a two-storey building that can hold up to 700 students.

United Kingdom

Main article: Further education

In the United Kingdom and Ireland, community colleges are like places called Further Education colleges. These schools teach students aged 11 to 18. They also offer extra help and classes for adults and other people in the community. This can include sports, learning to read and write, and other useful skills.

United States

In the United States, community colleges, also called junior colleges, technical colleges, two-year colleges, or city colleges, are mostly public schools. They offer education that leads to certificates, diplomas, and associate degrees. After finishing at a community college, some students move on to a liberal arts college or university to earn a bachelor's degree in a few more years.

Before the 1970s, these schools were often called junior colleges, and some still use that name today. Public community colleges usually serve students from their local area and are funded by local taxes. They often work with nearby businesses to help students prepare for jobs in the community.

Research

Some groups study community colleges and share what they learn.

The American Association of Community Colleges has led research since the 1920s. They publish a journal called the Community College Journal.

The Community College Research Center at Columbia University has studied community colleges since 1996. They look at challenges students face.

The Association of Community College Trustees has supported leaders since 1972. Their leader wrote a book about community colleges.

The Center for Community College Student Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin helps colleges understand student involvement.

The Office of Community College Research and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign studies ways to help students find jobs. They share ideas with schools worldwide.

Several journals, like Community College Review, publish research about community colleges.