Technical Colleges, Technology Deployment, and Regional Development.

In this document, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) reports on the state of technical education in Europe, the United States, and Canada. It states that technical colleges are emerging as key institutions in technology-based education to fill industry requirement for more highly skilled and technically proficient workers. In France, the number of students entering programs to train higher technicians increased 150% between 1980 and 1992. Enrollments in higher technical education in the Netherlands increased by 40% between 1980 and 1990. The structure of educational systems varies dramatically across OECD member nations, and the missions and objectives of the institutions are not always the same. Nonetheless, they are all educating students to a level of technical education that succeeds compulsory education and precedes the baccalaureate degree. Nearly every technical college system was formulated or has been reformulated to serve both the student bodies and regional economies. In a 1995 survey of 100 United States colleges, 90% of respondents referenced economic development or modernization services in their mission statement. Colleges in OECD member nations are forming alliances with industry, economic development agencies, and with other colleges as well. The author concludes that the trend seems to be toward a more expansive role for colleges. (NB)