{"id":596332,"date":"2026-02-17T12:43:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:43:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/596332\/"},"modified":"2026-02-17T12:43:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T12:43:13","slug":"advancing-ai-local-colleges-grow-artificial-intelligence-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/596332\/","title":{"rendered":"Advancing AI: Local colleges grow artificial intelligence education"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHouston City College<\/a> officially took on its new name<\/a> June 18\u2014after 54 years as Houston Community College\u2014reflecting the growth of the institution.<\/p>\n

The name change comes after the college launched its first two baccalaureate degree programs<\/a> focusing on artificial intelligence and robotics, as well as health care management, Community Impact reported.<\/p>\n

What’s happening<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, following the success of the programs, the college is bringing in three new four-year programs<\/a> in computer information systems, business and nursing\u2014with the first two expected to launch in spring 2027 and the latter in 2028, said Miguel Ramos, vice chancellor for instructional services at HCC.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe definitely want to provide as many opportunities for student learning as possible,\u201d Ramos said.<\/p>\n

With five baccalaureate programs, the college will be utilizing the full extent allowed by the state to help fill gaps in the area\u2019s labor market, Ramos said.<\/p>\n

In the AI sector, that gap sits at tens of millions, with only 8.7 million nationwide currently learning AI-based skills compared to the 57 million interested, according to higher education marketing and research firm Validated Insights. That number shrinks to only 7,000 when limited only to AI education from higher education institutions.<\/p>\n

As of early 2025, only about 2.5% of institutions offered a bachelor\u2019s in AI despite high interest, Validated Insights found.<\/p>\n

Zooming in<\/strong><\/p>\n

While the new AI program will be stationed at HCC\u2019s Southwest College\u2014located inside the 610 loop\u2014students have already made an impact in Fort Bend County, HCC Southwest College President Michael Webster said.<\/p>\n

A group of HCC students were finalists in a NASA competition, with an entry focused on the west side of the county that saw the development of a drone that used AI lidar\u2014a sensing method that sends pulses of laser light to determine the presence, shape and distance of objects\u2014to find feral hogs in ranches, Webster said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a big problem on the ranches,\u201d Webster said. \u201cThose things multiply like crazy, they eat all the vegetation, and get in the way of the tractors.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Additionally, Ramos said he expects the incoming business program\u2014one of the college\u2019s largest programs\u2014to touch Fort Bend campuses.<\/p>\n

HCC is not alone as other schools in the area are working to implement such programs as well.<\/p>\n

At the University of Houston<\/a>\u2014which does not have a distinct major for AI\u2014the school is working with professors to implement the tool into courses, said Teresa Acosta, UH director for faculty and departmental instructional support.<\/p>\n

By the numbers<\/strong><\/p>\n

HCC\u2019s AI program, which officially launched in 2020 as the first industry community college associate degree and in 2023 as a bachelor\u2019s degree, has quickly exploded, with 59 students enrolled for the 2026 academic year\u2014up from 14 in the 2024 academic year, HCC officials said.<\/p>\n

And while AI is not the only factor, community college enrollment continues to rise\u2014with a 4% increase in reported enrollment in fall 2025, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. HCC is among those risers, with a 95,401 enrollment total in the 2024-25 school year, according to college statistics.<\/p>\n

Zooming out<\/strong><\/p>\n

Over at UH\u2019s campus, Acosta said the university hopes to see core courses implement AI in some way, whether it be rubrics, grading, helping with research or learning AI literacy.<\/p>\n

\u201c[There are] big companies here, and they\u2019re expecting students to have AI skills,\u201d Acosta said. \u201cSo, it just makes absolute sense that UH is going to be working with, leading [and] teaching with AI.\u201d<\/p>\n

At UH, which is bringing C.T. Bauer College of Business executive education mini-courses to Katy in March, AI elements have been implemented into classes, including the Technology Division in Sugar Land and engineering in Katy, said Jay Neal, UH associate vice president of Academic Affairs and chief operating officer.<\/p>\n

Neal said UH\u2019s AI-specific courses include:<\/p>\n