Since the founding days of Kirkwood Community College, we have subjected our mission and programs to extensive academic accreditation. Kirkwood was fully accredited by the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges during intense internal and external studies every ten years, the last approval cycle completing in 1998-1999.

With a new millennium and the ever-faster paces of change in education and a globalized economy, Kirkwood began the evolution to a "continuous improvement process." We believe the scope of the college’s mission, our many productive partnerships and the fast-changing needs of our community require us to always be in improvement and development operations.

Therefore, Kirkwood opted to use the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP) instead of the traditional accreditation model. Kirkwood’s was accepted into the Higher Learning Commission’s Academic Quality Improvement Program in February 2006. This effort is led by Kirkwood’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness under the director of the Executive Director Al Rowe.

The Kirkwood AQIP process will build on the college-initiated Kirkwood Quality Improvement Process KQIP that has been in place for several years. Over 20 different areas, programs and initiatives of the college have either been completed or currently in process at Kirkwood. From Student Orientation and Facilities to Communications and Business Partnerships, hundreds of college faculty and staff devote their time and talents to building an ever-better Kirkwood.

You can find out more about the Academic Quality Improvement Process at this Web Site: http://www.aqip.org/