Institute of technology (also:
university of technology,
polytechnic university,
technikon, and
technical college) is a designation employed for a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable levels of the educational system. It may be an institution of
higher education and advanced engineering and
scientific research or professional
vocational education, specializing in
science,
engineering, and
technology or different sorts of technical subjects. It may also refer to a
secondary education school focused in vocational training. The term institute of technology is often abbreviated
IT and is not to be confused with
information technology.