Colchester Institute has its roots in the North East Essex Technical College. It widened to include degree level programmes in Music (through accreditation by the
University of London), Hospitality & Catering, and Art. In 1992 it joined with a number of colleges and "Anglia Higher Education College" to enable the latter to acquire university status as
Anglia Polytechnic University (now
Anglia Ruskin University). The other colleges in the Higher Education aspects of the "consortium" included City College Norwich, and the Norwich School of Art and Design. The "consortium" was dissolved in 2006 under a ratification programme proposed by the
Higher Education Funding Council (England), and from that time Colchester Institute Higher Education awards were accredited by the
University of Essex. The institute's buildings were completely refurbished in 2000 with internal demolition, structural repairs and reconfiguration of the existing 1950s buildings, providing 4,000 m2 of new internal floor space for workshops, laboratories, classrooms and a library in which to study. In 2003, a new Construction Craft Centre opened, to provide specialist facilities for Plumbing and Electrical Installations. On 1 January 2010, Colchester Institute took over
Braintree College, rebranding this as The College At Braintree and subsequently Braintree Campus. The £10m STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Centre and South Wing building opened in 2016 at the Sheepen Road Campus. The advanced equipment and facilities incorporates a HAAS CNC machining centre, simulation rigs, commercial 3D printers, auto-CAD, and specialist science equipment. Another facility at the Colchester site is the £5m Centre for Health and Social Care Professions, launched in 2020 with the addition of another storey to the South Wing building. Facilities opened in 2022 include the Early Years Centre and commercial hair and beauty salons. == Campus information ==