Southport College has been selected as one of the UK institutions to participate in the pioneering U.S.-UK Community College and Technical Education Exchange.
This partnership is spearheaded by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and supported by the Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation. In collaboration with the UK’s Association of Colleges (AoC), the exchange programme aims to foster student learning in sustainability and green skills across the Atlantic.
Southport College will partner with Bergen Community College in New Jersey, focusing on sustainable construction—an area that has become a cornerstone of Southport College’s curriculum in alignment with the Liverpool City Region’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2030.
The initiative was officially launched with a kick-off meeting on October 18, and in the coming months, the paired colleges will collaboratively design a programme that enables students to explore sustainable practices and gain essential green skills through hands-on experience and cross-cultural exchange.
Mark Burrows, Deputy CEO and Deputy Principal of Southport College, expressed the college’s excitement about the programme:
“I am thrilled that Southport College, part of Southport Education Group, has been selected to embark on this transformative exchange with Bergen Community College. This collaboration not only celebrates our collective commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2030 within the Liverpool City Region, but it also presents an invaluable opportunity to extend internationally the pioneering work we have led across the city region in sustainable construction technology. By joining forces with our partner colleges, we are creating a shared framework for advancing green skills that will empower our students and communities on both sides of the Atlantic.
We are deeply appreciative of the support from the Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation, the Association of Community College Trustees, and the Association of Colleges. Together, we are poised to build a future grounded in sustainability, innovation, and mutual learning. This partnership underscores our commitment to sustainable development and the role technical education plays in addressing today’s environmental challenges.”
The U.S.-UK Community College and Technical Education Exchange seeks to create long-term partnerships, with the initial deliverable being a student exchange programme between each pair of institutions. Following a year of planning and development, U.S. college leaders and faculty will visit their UK partners in June to finalise details, with the programme set to launch for students in the summer or autumn of next year. The partnership provides a unique opportunity for Southport College students to enhance their green skillset while engaging with sustainability issues on a global scale.
ACCT President and CEO Jee Hang Lee praised the collaboration, saying,
“We’re excited to begin this collaboration, which has high interest levels on both sides of the Atlantic. It is our hope that this initial phase will lay the foundation for a broader exchange across more colleges in the future.”
With the support of the Cyril Taylor Charitable Foundation, ACCT and AoC are confident that the U.S.-UK Community College and Technical Education Exchange will become a model for future partnerships in workforce development, innovation, and sustainable education.
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