Development of the Ecosystem

In creating the 2025 Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing, AACN responded directly to the lessons and limitations identified through the use of the 2021 framework. Rather than offering incremental refinements, the team re-envisioned the model with a clear purpose: to provide a more integrated, adaptable, and sustainable guide that reflects the realities of academic nursing today.

Several key considerations anchored the development of the updated Ecosystem:

Honoring the Whole Academic Nursing Community

The Ecosystem supports students, staff, and faculty as essential members of academic nursing. This whole-community approach goes beyond representation, emphasizing psychological safety, well-being, and meaningful connection across all roles.

Promoting Fairness for All

This was not developed solely for individuals with limited access or representation in the nursing field. Instead, it addresses institutional barriers that affect all members of the academic community. By prioritizing fairness in systems, policies, and daily practices, the Ecosystem ensures everyone has a genuine opportunity to thrive.

Emphasizing Institutional Integration

Sustainable change cannot rely on individual champions or one-time initiatives. The Ecosystem calls for embedding strategies across institutional structures and operations so that practices advancing excellence become part of an institution’s culture—foundational rather than supplemental.

Ensuring Flexibility and Adaptability

Recognizing the wide variety of nursing programs in the United States and abroad, the Ecosystem was intentionally designed to be both aspirational and adaptable. It avoids a one-size-fits-all approach, instead allowing institutions to tailor implementation to their missions, resources, and goals.

Reinforcing Accountability

To move from intention to impact, the Ecosystem provides tools for transparency, assessment, and continuous improvement. These resources enable institutions to monitor progress, align strategies with measurable outcomes, and refine their approaches over time.

Bridging Education and the Real World

Nursing education must prepare graduates for rapidly evolving healthcare. The framework links academic programs with real-world needs, emphasizing public health, community learning, and emerging technologies—vital for a resilient, future-ready workforce.

Designing for Long-Term Sustainability

The Ecosystem was created with sustainability at its core. It is structured to evolve in tandem with changes in nursing education, healthcare delivery, and policy environments, ensuring that programs remain relevant, responsive, and prepared to lead through ongoing transformation.

These guiding considerations informed every element of the updated framework—from its structure and language to its tools and strategies. By centering on people, systems, and sustainability, the 2025 Ecosystem of Excellence provides nursing programs with a living, adaptable foundation for shaping the future of academic nursing.