On January 13, 2025, representatives from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in the United States hosted a significant event in Washington, D.C., where agreements were signed between the Kurdistan Accrediting Association for Education (KAAE) and two esteemed U.S. accreditation institutions: the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and the Middle States Association – Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS).

The KRG announced the agreements, emphasizing their importance as an advancement in educational standards within the Kurdistan Region. In a post on X, the KRG-US stated that they “were honored to host the signing agreements between the Kurdistan Accrediting Association for Education and two American accreditation institutions, the MSCHE and MSA-CESS, marking a significant step towards advancing educational standards in the Kurdistan Region.” 

Honar Issa, Member of the Board of Trustees at the American University of Kurdistan-Duhok, highlighted the significance of this partnership on LinkedIn, noting that, for the first time in Kurdistan’s history, the KRG has formed a long-term collaboration with the MSCHE and MSA-CESS. This partnership aims to support the KAAEin establishing standards and creating a framework to evaluate schools and universities in the Kurdistan Region, asserting that standardization is essential for meaningful reform in the area.