Association of Colleges

Who we are

Association of Colleges is the national voice for further education, sixth form, tertiary and specialist colleges in England. We are a not-for-profit membership organisation established in 1996 by colleges, for colleges. Our members make up more than 90% of the sector - educating and training 1.6 million people each year.

As a membership body we:

• Influence government and local and national policymakers to create the environment for strong and sustainable colleges at the heart of the economy
• Provide high quality professional support, advice and intelligence to meet the needs of every member
• Champion and enhance the reputation of colleges, leaders, staff and students.

We are committed to:

• Being open and transparent, working with, and for, all members
• Setting clear long-term priorities for our work with robust measures and accountability processes through our governance structure.
• Providing all members with a seamless service that is professional, proactive, and responsive across the whole organisation
• Working in partnership with a range of other organisations that can support and add value to our work.

Talk to us

If you would like to find out more information or would like to have an informal discussion about any of our current vacancies, please do not hesitate to contact us by emailing [email protected] or by calling 0207 034 9900.

Our culture and values

Our values

Unsurprisingly, our values reflect a strong passion for colleges and their students, as well as an ambition to empower staff to deliver the best possible services to our members. At our core, we are:

Member-focussed

Our member colleges are at the heart of everything we do. We respond to our members’ diverse needs and circumstances and play a leadership role on behalf of the sector

Collaborative

We work collaboratively to strengthen our impact. We do this both within and across our internal teams, with our members and a wide range of external partners, organisations and groups.

Ambitious

We are ambitious for our members, for the profile of the sector, for better investment in colleges and for an environment in which colleges can thrive. We strive for ambitious outcomes for college students and the employers they work with.

Accountable

We foster a culture of accountability and trust in which every member of staff takes ownership of AoC’s organisational culture and performance, and members are aware of what we do.

Knowledgeable

We continuously develop our knowledge and expertise to ensure that we remain credible as a reliable source of intelligence and advice. We rely on data evidence and sector expertise to inform our policy positions and our actions.

Inclusive

We celebrate, value and actively promote fairness, respect, equality, diversity and inclusion. We strive for a better, fairer society in which everyone can succeed.