Houston Community College is a finalist for the prestigious Bellwether Award. The Bellwether Award is sponsored by the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Florida and focuses on cutting-edge, trendsetting programs that other colleges might find worthy of replicating. This is the Academy Awards for community colleges. Competitively judged by other community colleges, HCC’s entry in the category of Workforce Development, “Exporting Houston Community College,” will be presented at the 2011 Community College Futures Assembly January 29 through February 1 in Orlando, Florida.
Traditional education practices do not prepare students for the demands of globalization, where adaptability and resilience reign supreme. The popular phrase “think global, act local” has been transcended at Houston Community College, where we also “think local, act global.” From its fully American accredited associate degrees offered in Vietnam to its partnerships in Brazil and the Middle East, HCC has reassessed and expanded its service community.
Whether in a specific knowledge area such as oil and gas or in the administration of higher education, demand for American expertise has grown rapidly. The accessibility of a quality education and growing world marketplace has created an international demand for institutions of higher education that will meet specific local needs. HCC’s experience and expertise meet these needs both locally and internationally. With the strategic intent of finding a right fit, HCC adapts to its partners’ needs rather than standardizes or replicates its existing community college model.
The successful students who will attend and the faculty and staff who will exchange knowledge with these partner institutions will enhance HCC’s strength and prominence in the international community. Because of HCC’s international exposure, the college is consistently the top destination for international community college students in the United States. The exchange of knowledge, both exported and imported through the college’s international student body has compelled HCC to think and act globally and as a result earned HCC an outstanding reputation and respect in the international community, especially among developing nations. HCC’s Houston community benefits from first-hand knowledge of the global market and applies that knowledge to improve the entire region.