AQIP is an accreditation model of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It is considered to be the model of choice for institutions that want to position themselves to better meet the needs of their stakeholders and to advance the quality of higher education. It is the model that Stark State College

Stark State College’s participation in AQIP demonstrates the College’s commitment to our stakeholders and to advancing quality higher education. The AQIP process supports identifying what is important to our stakeholders, what is working for our stakeholders, and what needs to be improved. The areas of improvement become action projects with teams being formed to determine the best processes to follow for improvement. AQIP supports accountability to its stakeholders because it requires that data-based decisions be made to improve processes and operations. “By sharing both its advancement activities and the results of these activities with AQIP, an organization develops the evidence necessary to support and assist the organization in achieving the distinctive higher education mission it has set for itself and the evidence to enable the Commission to have a public quality assurance judgment.”

“Research and experience indicate that common principles—Focus, Involvement, Leadership, Learning, People, Collaboration, Agility, Foresight, Information, and Integrity—permeate colleges and universities that have achieved a systematic approach to continuous quality improvement.” These qualities underlie all of the Academic Quality Improvement Program’s activities, processes, services, and criteria for accreditation. They also represent the values to which AQIP, and Stark State College, aspire organizationally." – from Principles and Categories for Improving Academic Quality