Community college

A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma.

In Australia, the term "community college" refers to small private businesses running short (e.g. six weeks) courses generally of a self-improvement or hobbyist nature.

In TAFEs and colleges today, courses are designed for personal development of an individual or for employment outcomes.

They offer individuals a nurturing, non-traditional education venue to gain skills that better prepare them for the workplace and potential job openings.

More recently, however, colleges have been offering a variety of their own degrees, often in business, technology, science, and other technical fields.

In the mid-1960s and early 1970s, most Canadian colleges began to provide practical education and training for the emerging and booming generation, and for immigrants from around the world who were entering Canada in increasing numbers at that time.

A formative trend was the merging of the then separate vocational training and adult education (night school) institutions.

Canadian colleges are either publicly funded or private post-secondary institutions (run for profit).

In other parts of Canada, the term advanced degree is used to indicate a three- or four-year college program.

Even when speaking in English, people often refer to all colleges as[3] Cégeps; however, the term is an acronym more correctly applied specifically to the French-language public system: Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP); in English: College of General and Vocational Education.

[6] Community colleges in Malaysia are a network of educational institutions whereby vocational and technical skills training could be provided at all levels for school leavers before they entered the workforce.

This type of institution offers night classes under the supervision of the same principal, and the same faculty members who are given part-time college teaching load.

[7] A community college like the one in Abuyog, Leyte can operate with only a PHP 124,000 annual budget in a two-story structure housing more than 700 students.

[9] Many of these institutions and organizations present the most current research and practical outcomes at annual community college conferences.