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About us

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.

The AoC group includes:

AoC Jobs - the first and only stop for anybody looking for a new job in further education.

AoC Sport - leading the development of sport and physical activity in 16+ education.

AoC Charitable Trust - promoting the very best in FE with some of the biggest and most respected awards in education, including the AoC Beacon Awards, AoC Gold Awards, and Student of the Year.