Kansas University officials announced Tuesday that a national organization has reaccredited its academic programs.

Reaccreditation by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association means that KU’s academic programs meet nationally recognized standards, according to a news release from the university. It also means that federal funds for student financial aid and research will continue uninterrupted.

“Accreditation … validates the quality of an institution as a whole and evaluates multiple aspects of an institution, ranging from its academics, governance and administration to its mission, finances and resources,” Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said in a statement.

KU officials spent 18 months conducting a comprehensive self-study. The process included a campus visit by HLC’s officials, who held a series of meetings with administrators, faculty, staff and students. KU received a 10-year reaccreditation in June 2005 and has been accredited since 1913 by the HLC, the release said.

More than 100 members of the campus community gathered and evaluated data to prepare the self-study report.

A steering committee led by professor Susan Twombly, chairwoman of the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, guided the self-study process, the release said.

“The University of Kansas has used this self-study and reaccreditation process as an additional opportunity to examine everything we’re doing, the challenges ahead and specific steps we can take to improve,” Jeffrey Vitter, provost and executive vice chancellor, said in a statement.

The reaccreditation executive summary, self-study and other materials can be found online at KU’s HLC website.