That is the hard part, each country has different designations on what College Vs. University actually means.
1. In the UK and Commonwealth, College = high school; university = higher education.
Hence, Eton College, Pembroke College, Dulwich College etc. are high schools.
2. In the US, schools are designated college or university by when they founded, did they have a grad school?
Hence, Harvard had no grad school, but Yale had a grad school of divinity. Hence Harvard College Vs. Yale University. It has no deal with quality.
3. In US public schools, after the Morrill Land Grant Act (of 1876), each state could run their public land grant colleges their own way, but the organization was the same:
Community Colleges could do up to the first two years of undergrad, ready for transfer.
State Schools, such as "Cal State" could do undergraduate degrees, both in theory and applied fields. For example, biology vs. agriculture, theoretical physics vs. applied physics, etc. They could also give master's degrees, but no PhD degrees.
University of _______, would focus on undergrad, graduate school, could grant Phd, and do research. Hence, a degree in biology at UC Berkeley would focus more on research, not practical use or teaching.
Now, over time, many of these boundaries have been blurred; many community colleges have deals with some four year schools to have some sort of bachelors. Action research can be done, even at State Schools (e.g. action research in economic theory, from Cal State ________). Also, even theroetical places are now participating in co-ops, etc.
4. In China, GaoKao scores determine admission to either colleges or universities. Students with higher GaoKao scores go to universities. College programs can be completed in three years; universities completed in four years.