Durham College - History

History

Founded in 1967, Durham College has more than 46,000 alumni today.

Durham College officially opened on September 18, 1967 with 16 portable classrooms, 14 staff and 205 students, offering courses in applied arts, business and technology. The college soon added courses in health sciences and adult training and grew to 1,250 students by its 10th anniversary.

The 1980s were met by more growth, with enrolment increasing to 2,700 in 1987 and further expansion of the facilities including the construction of a new state-of-the art Robotics lab, the precursor to the Integrated Manufacturing Centre found on campus today.

The early 1990s welcomed the establishment of the Whitby campus, featuring the nationally recognized Skills Training Centre. Thousands of apprentices have studied there and the college has become a leader in skilled trades training.

Following in the footsteps of strong partnerships with York and Trent universities, both of which have discernible academic standing, that first brought university courses to the Durham College Oshawa campus, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) opened in 2003. Durham College and UOIT have established a post-secondary partnership unlike any other in the province, sharing a campus, some facilities and selected services, while making it easier than ever before for students to pursue both a diploma and a degree.