Our ambition, mission and values

Our ambition

Association of Colleges ambition is to be a highly respected and influential membership body that truly affects change, and is able to provide expert advice and support to help colleges succeed.

Our mission

Our mission is to champion and support colleges by enhancing their reputation, leading thinking on policy, influencing decision-makers, providing advice, sharing good practice and offering networking and peer support opportunities.

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.