The Office of Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) was established in 1989 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. OCCRL is affiliated with the Department of Educational Organization and Leadership of the College of Education. Our mission is to provide research, leadership, and service to community college educators and assist in improving community college education policy and practice, particularly in the Illinois community college system. The Office was started with funding from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), utilizing leadership funds associated with federal vocational education legislation. Over the years, OCCRL has conducted its work in close association with both the ISBE and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), and in 2003 the ICCB assumed leadership for new initiatives with OCCRL, funding an important part of OCCRL's agenda.

Current initiatives focus on partnerships between community colleges and high schools, including studies of academic pathways, curricular models, dual credit, and tech prep. OCCRL's portfolio includes studies on outcomes assessment, technology transfer, various aspects of workforce development and training, work-based learning, and educational guarantees.

Our website provides insights into various current and recent projects, and it provides links to publications, resource materials, and partners. We encourage you to contact us if you have questions.

Contact us at:

Office of Community College Research and Leadership
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
51 Gerty Drive, 129 CRC
Champaign, IL 61820

Phone: 217-244-9390
Fax: 217-244-0851
E-mail: occrl@uiuc.edu