Community Colleges

Public postsecondary educational institutions, commonly organized into two-year programs, which offer instruction that has been adapted in content, level and schedule to meet the needs of the community in which they are located. While broadly known as community colleges, these entities operate under a range of titles including institutes of science and technology, cegeps, and university-based community colleges. Institutions vary in mandate, management models and policy frameworks. However, they share the primary functions of responding to the training needs of business, industry, the public service sectors and the educational needs of vocationally oriented secondary school graduates. Historically, community colleges offered diplomas and certificates, not degrees. However, many have university transfer programs and some offer degree programs.