The U.S. Community College Model: Potential for Applications in India

This IIE White Paper, sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in India, was developed in advance of the Higher Education Dialogue held in June 2013 in New Delhi, India. Among other topics, workforce development and continued India-U.S. higher education collaboration will be key issues for discussion. This paper presents Indian and U.S. perspectives on the implementation of the U.S. community college model in India and the opportunities for community colleges to help meet the workforce needs of the local communities and propel the world’s third largest economy.

This paper consists of three sections, the first of which—The U.S. Community College as a Model for Global Higher Education Systems, is authored by Mary Beth Hartenstine, Program Manager, Community Colleges for International Development, and provides a broad overview of the internationalization of U.S. community colleges and global interest in the American community college model.

In the second section—Applying the U.S. Community College Model to India: Indian Perspectives, authors describe the opportunities and challenges for community colleges in India. Specifically, B. S. Panwar, Director of M.S. Panwar Community College, recounts the evolution of community colleges in India and their contribution to vocational education in the country. Next, Xavier Alphonse, Director of the Indian Center for Research and Development of Community Education, describes the deliberate way Indian leaders adapted the U.S. community college to meet India’s needs. To round out this section, Murli Nagasundaram and Duleep Deosthale of Manipal Global Education Services address the shortcomings of the existing Indian higher education system and the profound way a well-designed, country-wide community college system could advance India’s economic growth.

Authors of the third section—Applying the U.S. Community College Model to India: U.S. Perspectives, share best practices for expanding the U.S. community college model to India. In a personal essay, Edward Valeau, Former Superintendent President of Hartnell Community College, shares his observations of the Indian community college system as a U.S. Fulbright Scholar to the country in 2003. Rahul Choudaha, Director of Research and Strategic Development at World Education Services, provides a framework for community college establishments in India and Barry Bannister, Director of International Development, Green River Community College (GRCC), presents case study of GRCC’s partnership with Bellefonte Community College (BCC) in Shillong, Meghalaya.