Okanagan College is a public, comprehensive, post-secondary educational institution that was established under the provisions of the College and Institute Act (2004). Okanagan College offers a wide variety of career, continuing education, degree, developmental, trades and technologies, university studies, and vocational programs. The region served by Okanagan College covers 37,750 square kilometres, and extends from Osoyoos and Princeton in the south and west to Mica Creek and Revelstoke in the north and east.
Established in 1965, Okanagan Regional College enrolled its first university studies and career transfer students in 1968. In 1989, the mandate of Okanagan College was expanded to provide baccalaureate degrees, in partnership with established universities. During the next two years Okanagan College introduced third and fourth year courses leading to degrees in Arts and in Science in partnership with the University of British Columbia, and in Education and in Nursing in partnership with the University of Victoria. To reflect this new mandate, the name Okanagan University College was adopted in 1992.
On March 17, 2004 the Provincial Government announced that OUC would evolve into two new institutions by September 2005 – UBC Okanagan and the new Okanagan College. The new Okanagan College was designated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council as an authorized college under the College and Institute Act on November 26, 2004 and an interim board was appointed..