Holland College

Overview

Holland College is the public community college of Prince Edward Island, Canada, with its head office at 140 Weymouth Street, Charlottetown. Encyclopaedia Britannica records it as established in 1969 and describes it as an institute of applied arts and technology offering courses in communities across the island (Britannica).

Statutory basis

The college exists under the Holland College Act, chapter H-6 of the statutes of Prince Edward Island. Section 2(1) provides that “There shall be a college, to be called Holland College, which shall be a body corporate”, and section 2(2) sets its object as providing “a broad range of educational opportunity particularly in the fields of applied arts and technology, vocational training and adult education” (Government of PEI).

The version of the Act read for this profile is current to 29 May 2026 and cites a 2026 amendment.

Governance

Under section 6 of the Act, the Board of Governors comprises two student representatives elected by students, two faculty representatives elected by faculty, two representatives of the business and industrial community and two of government or education authorities — both pairs appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council — four members appointed by the board itself, and the College President and University President ex officio.

The provincial government describes the board’s purpose as being “to oversee the Holland College facilities located on PEI, as well as to make necessary appointments and removals of all personnel involved in the operation of these facilities”, and states that a number of board members are appointed from among people who apply through the Engage PEI process (Government of PEI).

Scale

Colleges and Institutes Canada, the national association of publicly supported colleges, records the college as having 2,600 students, of whom 499 are international, 241 apprentices and 83 Indigenous learners, across 13 campuses and centres. It lists the college as a signatory to the Indigenous Education Protocol (CICan).

Campuses and centres

The college lists the Prince of Wales Campus in Charlottetown, the Tourism and Culinary Centre and Belmont Centre also in Charlottetown, the Summerside Waterfront Campus, the Atlantic Police Academy at Slemon Park, the Marine Training Centre in Summerside, the Georgetown Centre and the West Prince Campus at Alberton, along with the John and Christine Andrew Centre for Excellence in Watershed Management and the Cleantech Academy (campuses page — first-party).

Founding

The college’s own account states that it “opened its doors on September 2, 1969, welcoming 83 students enrolled in four programs”, as “one of several community colleges created across the country in the late 1960s to develop the skilled labour force Canada would need”. It records that the college is named after Samuel Holland, an 18th-century surveyor with ties to Prince Edward Island (history page — first-party).

What this profile does not claim

Graduate employment rates and programme counts published by the college and by its national association are promotional figures reported by interested parties, and are not repeated here as facts. No ranking or comparative assessment is offered.