The Association of Colleges sometimes shortened to the AoC is an organisation representing further education

Further education

Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...

 colleges in the UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

, with an associated registered charitable trust

Charitable organization

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

. The Association was created in 1996 and provides a broad range of services to its subscribers, the subscribers being FE

Further education

Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...

 colleges. It represents their interests locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

The charitable trust is also the main supporting body of the Beacon Award

AoC Beacon Awards

The AoC Beacon Awards Programme was launched in 1994 to recognises and promote the interdependence of further education colleges. The award is supported by the AoC short for the Association of Colleges which represents all FE colleges in England and Wales...

s.