Association of Canadian Community Colleges - Movement and Growth

Movement and Growth

In 1991, ACCC moved to Ottawa (the nations Capital) so that it could work more effectively to influence policy with the National Government on behalf of its members and also be closer to CIDA to create stronger developmental linkages between Canadian Colleges and counterparts in the developing world. ACCC also needed to strengthen its effectiveness with Francophone members and Ottawa was a much more rational location to achieve this. With support from CIDA and contract success with ADB, the World Bank and others, ACCC became one of Canada's largest international development contributors in the 1990s, applying the knowledge resources of its member institutions. With partnership programs in the Caribbean, Asia, Anglophone and Francophone Africa and finally the newly freed nations of Europe, by the end of the 1990s the Association had helped build bridges and shared experience in building College and community based and employment centered education with much of the world. Literally hundreds of Canadian College teachers in technology, business, health and other fields were able to strengthen less advantaged institutions in emerging nations. But the days of the college "movement" and the founders' energy to spread the message of accessibility and community responsive higher education to all countries, were drawing to a close.