COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY - TO WHAT DEGREE?

I stumbled upon some information which I feel compelled to share with my fellow students. I hope that it will be useful in shaping career decisions, will stimulate discussion and encourage further enquiry regarding the future for Criminal Justice in Trinidad and Tobago. My research was prompted by a news post on the school website: "COSTAATT to become a National University". For the investigative mind the shadow is as important as the object so I hit the keys.What is the difference between a college and a university? The following is a summary of my findings:

In some jurisdictions the terms are used interchangeably but there are some  distinctions that should be noted. Among such distinctions, that a university can confer its own degrees, beginning with the Bachelors, all the way to Doctorate. A college usually relies on an external university or higher learning institution to confer its degree - notwithstanding that there are colleges that have conferred their own degrees - but not without being validated by an affiliate or external educational institute or university. Another noteworthy difference is that a university maintains research requirements for its instructors and a university is a more research-focused institution. The other areas of distinction are; accreditation, the types of programs and courses, the size of the institutions, learning styles and instructors.

This research made for interesting reading and has triggered some key questions about COSTAATT's future, particularly regarding its role of professional development and the fulfilling of its mission: "To be the premier educational institution in providing high-quality, affordable and accessible educational programmes serving the needs of business, industry and the diverse campus communities and facilitating the personal and professional development of its students, faculty and staff". In this regard, COSTAATT has tons of homework in so far as assessing its performance thus far, not an indictment on its quality of education specifically, but that university status is serious business, one that requires quality management in every department. Since there was nothing in the news article to indicate how the transition from college to university should take place, I dare say that this is where students need to become more vigilant over the administration and the teaching staff. Such an announcement cannot be merely an echo of another ranting from the political podium. There is more to becoming a university than just the turning of sod or the cutting of  a ribbon.

As I mentioned earlier, this article is a precursor to a deeper enquiry; into the value of our degree and finding ways to make our body of knowledge useful. The main objective is to stimulate thought and action. Again I plead with fellow students to become more interested in making use of knowledge, where would we be without it and where are going with it? For now, I am heading in the direction of research and its usefulness in Criminal Justice. I look forward to a healthy discourse.