Our history of delivering quality education to the region

The Oregon State Board of Higher Education formed OCATE in April 1985 with $1 million from state lottery funds. Beginning with a handful of students and five courses at Tektronix, OCATE now offers over 60 courses and serves thousands of students throughout the Portland, Ore. Metro area with its distance learning archive.

In 1995, OCATE established its current location at CAPITAL Center in Beaverton. In the heart of the Silicon Forest, OCATE is a hub for collaboration among high-tech business leaders, engineering and computer science students, educators and researchers to support innovation in the region.

As Oregon’s technology workforce needs change, so has OCATE. The Center is a recognized leader in the delivery of graduate-level distance education to the technology sector through digital video and web casting. OCATE is part of the Oregon University System under the Office of the Chancellor.

OCATE Milestones:
1985-OCATE opens doors

1991-OCATE merges with The Lintner Center

1993-NERO intranet links users from universities, research centers, schools, medical facilities, and technology companies across Oregon

1995- OCATE becomes one of the founding programs in The CAPITAL Center in Beaverton

1996-OCATE offers lecture series

1997- State Legislature establishes the Oregon Engineering Education Investment Fund to enhance and grow the pursuit of engineering degrees in Oregon

2003- OCATE completes distance education center upgrade