WASHINGTON, D.C.—April 21, 2025—The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and STAR Scholars Network today released Global Snapshots: Models, Missions, and Challenges, the first volume in a new series of briefs Mapping Community Colleges Around the Word: Comparative Perspectives and Collaborative Pathways.
This series of briefs:
- Highlights effective regional, national, local, and institutional policies and programs that support, fund, evaluate, and strengthen community colleges and similar institutions, and enable them to fulfill their missions and goals.
- Identifies structural, operational, programmatic, and curricular frameworks and good practices around the world that can serve as models for the development of institutions and educational systems in other geographic contexts.
- Investigates the challenges facing community colleges and their global counterparts, as a means toward developing shared solutions as well as contextually specific approaches.
- Explores synergies that can serve as the basis for mutually beneficial partnerships and collaborations that engage institutions, industry, and government to promote student success and socioeconomic development.
- Celebrates the successes and contributions of this unique educational sector, amplifies its visibility, adds to the body of scholarly literature and knowledge, and identifies areas for additional research.
Global Snapshots opens with a global survey of community college-like institutions—of which there are over 170 distinct types, all of which provide “access for nontraditional and marginalized students, flexible paths for learning, retooling for future jobs, and opportunities for lifelong learning,” according to authors Rosalind Latiner Raby, Ph.D. and Edward J. Valeau, Ed.D. The brief then profiles institutions in Colombia, Croatia, Malawi, Pakistan, South Africa, South Korea, Syria, and the United States.
“In designing this publication, we have adopted a true community college ethos,” said ACCT Vice President for Membership and Educational Services Robin Matross Helms, Ph.D., who co-edits the series. “Like our institutions, we’ve emphasized access, proactively tapping our collective networks to invite a wide array of contributions and voices and enabling wide distribution.”
STAR Scholars Network Executive Vice President Krishna Bista, Ed.D., co-edits the series. He said, “throughout the series, you’ll find articles written by trustees, institution presidents and leaders, scholars, practitioners, and industry partners, which collectively provide a rich and nuanced array of insights and represent a unique contribution to scholarship and our collective understanding of community colleges and their impact worldwide. We hope it inspires continued dialogue and innovation that benefit our students, institutions, local economies, and ultimately, our shared global community.”
“Subsequent briefs will explore innovative curricular approaches for workforce development, examples of global partnerships, and the broader socioeconomic ecosystems of which these institutions are a part,” said Helms.
Global Snapshots: Models, Missions, and Challenges, is available at ACCT.org.
About ACCT
The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) is a non-profit educational organization of governing boards, representing more than 6,500 elected and appointed trustees who govern over 1,000 community, technical, and junior colleges in the United States and beyond. For more information, go to www.acct.org.
About STAR Scholars Network
The STAR Scholars Network is a global consortium of researchers, scholars, and academic leaders committed to advancing transnational research, academic mobility, and international collaboration. With over 33,000 members across more than 100 countries, the network supports scholarly exchange through publications, conferences, and mentoring programs. Our mission is to promote inclusive global scholarship and foster
equitable partnerships that uplift historically underrepresented voices in academia. For more information, visit www.starscholars.org.
