For decades, higher education institutions have implemented strategies to expand access, support student achievement, and enhance institutional effectiveness. Academic nursing programs have mirrored these efforts by advancing student success, faculty and staff development, and adapting to the evolving demands of the healthcare industry. In 2021, AACN introduced the Inclusive Excellence Ecosystem for Academic Nursing, accompanied by a virtual tool kit. This model encouraged nursing schools to reflect on how they supported students with varied life experiences and educational backgrounds. It also promoted the adoption of inclusive, student-centered strategies to enhance curriculum design, instructional practice, and learning environments.
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The Ecosystem of Excellence translates AACN’s vision of Access, Connection, and Engagement (ACE) into action—linking well-being, operations, and culture into one cohesive model that strengthens academic nursing programs. At its center there are three interdependent Cores that bring the framework to life:
Each Core contains specific Conditions that describe what must be present for excellence to be achieved, measured, and sustained over time. Together, the Cores and Conditions form a unified structure that helps academic nursing programs thrive across diverse missions, institutional types, and communities—where excellence is both human-centered and systems-driven.
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Each Core offers a distinct yet interconnected pathway to excellence. Click on the images below to learn more.