The College serves the Orkney community, which is rural and predominantly agricultural. The local economy has traditionally depended on agriculture and fishing. Both industries have shown some decline in recent years with tourism, hospitality and service industries becoming the main areas of economic activity and growth. The College has strong links with agriculture and with the Orkney Islands Council’s (OIC) farm of Weyland, which once belonged to the then North of Scotland College of Agriculture. It now provides the foundation for the Agronomy Institute.

The main campus is a new purpose-built site (opened in March 2000) located on a hill on the outskirts of Kirkwall. The College is one of very few non-incorporated colleges in Scotland and is the responsibility of the OIC, which has devolved considerable powers, including management, funding and staffing to the College Management Council (CMC).