Handbook of Comparative Studies on Community Colleges and Global Counterparts

This book explores the complexities of community colleges and global counterparts by focusing on critical analysis of governance, leadership, and mission. These complexities represent emerging and evolving phenomena that impact the institutions’ ability to a) serve students; b) offer sound curricula; c) admit and retain students; d) increase completion rates; e) create viable and sustained partnerships locally and internationally; f) address the needs of unique populations; g) funding and sustainability, and h) support staff development to enhance faculty and staff excellence. 

This work will introduce and elaborate upon these topics to highlight not only the challenges of the field in a variety of countries worldwide, but to also begin to build comparative understanding of the field at large. In that these institutions are now identified, it is time to academically address their role in higher education.

Rosalind Latiner Raby, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer at California State University, Northridge in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department of the College of Education and is an affiliate faculty for the ELPS Ed.D. Community College program. She also serves as Director of California Colleges for International Education, a non-profit consortium whose membership includes 91 California community colleges. Dr. Raby received her Ph.D. in the field of Comparative and International Education from UCLA and, since 1984, has worked with community college faculty and administrators to help them internationalize their campuses. Among her publications on the topic of international education and community colleges are “Global Engagement at US Community Colleges” (2012), “A Comparative View of Colleges of Further Education (UK) and Community Colleges (US): Maintaining Access in an Era of Financial Constraint” with Martin Jephcote (2012), “Community Colleges and Study Abroad” (2005), and Looking to the Future: Report on International and Global education in California Community Colleges (1999). 

Edward J. Valeau, Ed.D., is Superintendent President Emeritus of Hartnell Community College located in Salinas, California, and where he served for 12 years. He is also President Emeritus of California Colleges for International Education. Ed is an American Council on Education Fellow and Fulbright Scholar. He is the co-author of several books including his latest contribution, Increasing Effectiveness of the Community College Financial Model: A Global Perspective for the Global Economy (2011). He is the founder and Senior Partner of the ELS Group, a national Chief Executive Search firm located in Northern California. 

Dr. Raby and Dr. Valeau were the editors for the book, Community College Models: Globalization and Higher Education Reform (2009, Springer Netherlands). Since publication, this book has remained one of the more popular sellers for Springer and chapters continue to be downloaded years after publication. Other joint publications include International Education at Community Colleges: Themes, Practices, Research, and Case Studies (2016, Palgrave Macmillan), Increasing Effectiveness of the Community College Financial Model: A Global Perspective for the Global Economy (2011, Palgrave Macmillan), and International Reform Efforts and Challenges in Community Colleges (2007, Jossey-Bass Publishers).