What Students Should Know About Accreditation

Three students talking outside

Importance of Institutional Accreditation

  • Ensures the value and recognition of KU degrees.
  • Allows the university to receive federal funding, including financial aid for students.
  • Signals to employers and other educational institutions that KU meets or exceeds national standards.
  • Necessary for the accreditation of individual schools and programs.

KU Mission

KU has a single mission for the University: To educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that change the world. 

HLC reviewers are looking for compelling stories that illustrate how KU is achieving that mission. Those stories come from the experiences of our students, and the work of faculty and staff. The goal for the HLC site visit is for students to know our mission, and be able to put into words some examples of how they see KU is achieving that mission. KU students also can even share stories for how they have contributed to the mission, through their academic success, service to the community, research projects, and more.

Institutional Learning Goals and KU Promise

KU’s Institutional Learning Goals have been embedded in every degree program and throughout our general education curriculum to ensure students are not only obtaining the knowledge for their degree program but also obtaining a set of skills beyond that program, such as being able to communicate effectively, analytically reason, to have leadership and collaboration skills.

In addition, we have identified Jayhawk values that are spelled out in the acronym IRISE. These values represent how we approach life, what it means to be a Jayhawk, the standards we hold for ourselves and for how we engage with each other: Integrity, Respect, Innovation, Stewardship, and Excellence.

Strategic Planning 

KU's strategic planning ensure the university has a clear, forward-thinking roadmap aligned with the mission, vision and values. This work helps ensure faculty and staff efforts are aligned with KU's mission and our institutional priorities for academics, research and student success.

Learn more about the strategic alignment framework.