The following is information for UConn faculty interested in establishing a formal institutional relationship and collaboration with a university partner overseas.
This process is applicable to the creation or renewal of Agreements of Cooperation (formerly MOA), Faculty and Student Mobility Agreements, and Capacity Building and Training Program Agreements, among others.
In order to develop an agreement, a global partnership should have a UConn Faculty or Staff Sponsor—a member of the faculty or staff who is committed to helping build a productive multifaceted interdisciplinary relationship with the partner institution. The Faculty/Staff Sponsor commits to:
- Following the agreement development process by submitting the specified proposal forms and securing leadership approval;
- Supporting proposed projects and programs throughout the duration of the agreement;
- Involving faculty throughout their department, college/school and the university in engaging with the collaboration.
- Submitting partner activity reports.
Step 1: Check Current Global Partnerships and Ensure Internal Support
- Check out our Interactive Partnership Map and/or contact globalpartnerships@uconn.edu to determine if there are already existing agreements with the proposed international partner(s).
- Discuss the initiative with your Department Head, Dean, and the Global Partnerships & Outreach unit within Global Affairs to learn about any applicable internal departmental, college/school policies for global collaborations and confirm departmental/college/school support for the initiative.
Step 2: Complete and Submit Global Partnership Proposal Form
- Submit your new global partnership request by completing the online Global Partnership Proposal Form.
- Include information and attachments that will be helpful in the review process, such as documents provided to you by the proposed international partner. We strongly encourage the use of UConn’s agreement templates, as using alternatives will significantly increase the processing and execution time. Incomplete agreement proposals will be returned to the Faculty/Staff Sponsor for completion.
Step 3: Agreement Drafting and Negotiation
- During the drafting and negotiation process, any proposed revisions to the agreement made by the collaborating institution will be reviewed and negotiated by the Global Partnerships & Outreach team in consultation with other stakeholders. These include but are not limited to the Office of the General Counsel, Compliance, Procurement, and the Graduate School.
- Depending on the type of agreement, its complexity, and number of UConn stakeholders, and the response time from the collaborating institution, this step may take a few months.
Step 4: Agreement Approval and Execution
- Following approval of the draft agreement, the duly authorized institutional authorities named in the agreement sign the agreement.
- Upon signature by all parties, the agreement is considered fully executed.
Agreement Types & Templates
Global Partnerships & Outreach has worked closely with the University’s Office of the General Counsel to create approved Agreements templates for a variety of global partner programs. Please see descriptions of various agreement templates below:
Agreement of Cooperation (Formerly MOA)
An Agreement of Cooperation (AOC) refers to a general, non-binding institutional level agreement that formalizes a relationship between UConn and a collaborating institution(s). AOCs are intended to be supplemented with specific implementing agreements regarding particular collaborations. This template is intentionally broad in scope and non-committal in regards to university funds, staff, facilities, or other resources.
Student Mobility
Exchange: An Exchange refers to an agreement in which UConn and the collaborating institution commit to a 1:1 balanced bilateral exchange of students. Under this arrangement, students take credit-bearing courses for which each home institution agrees to award credit towards degree completion. Currently, only undergraduate and law school exchange opportunities are available.
Direct Enroll: This agreement provides individual students the opportunity to enroll as non-degree seeking students at a host institution for the purpose of earning credits towards their degree at their home institution. Students apply to and pay the host institution directly. For incoming programs, a specific department or school must commit to ensuring course placement of students prior to an agreement being pursued.
Short-term Mobility: UConn may contract with a collaborating institution to provide services for students going on short-term or intersession programs. Such academic programs may be credit bearing or non-credit and must be proposed to and approved by the Experiential Global Learning Advisory Committee.
Student Research/Non-Credit Mobility: A Student Research or Non-Credit Mobility agreement is one in which UConn and a partner institution commit to hosting students for short term research or internship purposes. Students are responsible for all their own costs, and the host institution generally provides some form of mentorship along with visa sponsorship. Students do not take credit bearing courses at the host institution during this time, and therefore do not transfer any credits back to their home institution. These agreements are typically department specific as they require department faculty commit time towards mentoring visiting students.
X+X: This program usually constitutes a 3+1 or 2+2 agreement in which students attend a partner institution for 1 or 2 years as non-degree seeking students for the purpose of earning credits towards a degree at their home institution. Students are responsible for paying tuition to the host institution. For incoming programs, a specific department or school must commit to ensuring course placement of students prior to an agreement being pursued.
Dual Degree: Under rare instances, with the express consent of the Graduate School and faculty advisors, a student may explore a dual graduate degree with a global partner. Fulfilling all requirements of both UConn and the partner’s graduate degree program is extremely difficult for a student in the allotted timeframe.
Faculty Mobility
A faculty mobility agreement is one in which UConn and a partner institution commit to hosting faculty and scholars for short-term research visits or sabbaticals. The faculty are responsible for all their own expenses, and are paid by their home institution. The host institution generally provides visa sponsorship, office space, library access and other amenities to facilitate a productive research visit. Visiting faculty/scholars may be asked to present a few research lectures and participate in departmental events. Faculty mobility agreements are typically department or school specific, as they require departments commit resources depending on the arrangement.
Capacity Building & Training Program
UConn Global Affairs works with UConn schools, colleges, and other relevant UConn stakeholders to leverage our human capital to provide short-term custom training programs and services at UConn for partner institutions. These programs tend to take place during the summer and last 2-4 weeks on average.
These agreements are entrepreneurial in nature. Please email gtdi@uconn.edu to learn more.