In 1968, the Barbados Community College (BCC) was established by an Act of Parliament to provide post-secondary education to a wide cross-section of the Barbadian public to which higher education was previously inaccessible. The Barbados Community College Act was amended in 1990 to empower the College to grant certificates, diplomas, associate degrees, degrees and other awards to persons who successfully complete courses of study approved by the Board of Management.  The College has remained true to its mission which states that

The Barbados Community College is a dynamic centre of learning which exists to meet the changing education, training and development needs of the societies that it serves, by providing a range of courses and programmes of study in a learning environment conducive to the intellectual, physical and social development of students and staff, so that they can make a meaningful contribution to their country, region and the wider community.