| Bow Valley College | |
| Established: | 1965 |
| Administrative Staff: | 500 |
| President: | Dr. Misheck Mwaba[1] |
| Head Label: | Chair, Board of Governors |
| Head: | Shannon Bowen-Smed |
| Students: | 17,000 |
| State: | Alberta |
| Country: | Canada |
| Affiliations: | CICan, Alberta Association of Colleges & Technical Institutes, CBIE |
Bow Valley College is a Canadian public, board-governed college located in Calgary, Alberta, operating as a comprehensive community institution[2] under the Post-Secondary Learning Act of Alberta.[3] The branch campuses are: Airdrie, Banff, Cochrane, Okotoks, and Strathmore. Bow Valley College is a member of the Alberta Rural Development Network and Colleges and Institutes Canada.
With 14,000 full- and part-time students, Bow Valley College has three applied research pillars: educational technology, social innovation, and health.
The college offers academic programs in a variety of areas including career training, university transfer courses, adult upgrading, and English language learning. The college is divided into specialized schools:
It was founded as the Alberta Vocational Centre in 1965. Since 1972, it has been located on 3rd Street and 6th Avenue Southeast in Calgary and continues to expand its footprint between downtown Calgary and the city's East Village.
In 1998, the college transitioned from a government-administered model to an autonomous, board-governed public college and adopted the name Bow Valley College to reflect the region (the Bow Valley) which the college serves.
In May 2013, the college unveiled its new South Campus building on 6th Avenue Southeast. The South Campus building hosts the Calgary operations of Athabasca University, Olds College Fashion Institute, and the University of Lethbridge.[5]
Beyond downtown Calgary, the college operates smaller campuses in the communities of Airdrie, Banff, Cochrane, Okotoks, and Strathmore, and offers academic and career education on a number of the region's Indigenous nations.
There are more than 300 awards and bursaries available for students through Bow Valley College.[6] Bow Valley College is committed to ensuring that all students are able to access the life-changing possibilities of an education free from financial stress and pressures. Many generous donors make an impact on the lives of students and help them reach their goals.