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All About Agreements

All About Agreements. Hilde Haaland Kramer Senior Executive Officer Division of Academic Affairs University of Bergen. Outline. Why : Why do we need an agreement when establishing a joint degree programme? What: What should be part of the agreement and what should not?

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All About Agreements

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  1. All AboutAgreements Hilde Haaland Kramer Senior Executive Officer Division of Academic Affairs University of Bergen

  2. Outline • Why: Why do we need an agreement when establishing a joint degree programme? • What: What should be part of the agreement and what should not? • When: When in the planning process should the agreement be discussed and signed?

  3. Why do we need an agreement? • Good international practice • Quality Assurance • Legal obligations • Legal, academic, administrative and practical aspects which have to be agreed upon among the partners • Agreement + Curriculum of the programme = the contractual foundation of a joint degree programme • In addition, the programme has to be approved by the appropriate body/ies at each of the participating institutions/in each country

  4. What should be part of an agreement? • At the University of Bergen, we have made an agreement template/model which can be used by our staff • It is not essential that this model is used, but that the cooperating institutions agree on a programme and organisation that works for the group. Constraints on the content of the agreement • The content of the agreement has to be in line with the regulations of each university as well as each university’s national legal framework • The agreement should not be too detailed, but should leave room for the group to change policies and procedures

  5. What should be part of an agreement? • Purpose and Scope of the Agreement • Structure and Organization of the Cooperation • Programme Structure • Degree and Diploma • Student Admission, Registration and Attendance • Tuition Fees and Student’s Financial Responsibility • Quality Assurance • Intellectual Property Rights • Renewal, Termination and Amendment

  6. What should be part of an agreement? • Purpose and Scope of the Agreement • Name of institutions and responsible units • The purpose of the agreement • ”The provisions of this agreement shall not be construed so as to diminish the fully autonomous position of any of the institutions.”

  7. What should be part of an agreement? 2. Structure and Organisation of the Cooperation • Formation and mandate of a programme committe or similar body • Name and task of coordinating institution • Academic and administrative commitment at each institution • Financial plan (annexe)

  8. What should be part of an agreement? 3. Programme Structure • The name and length of the programme • Short description of the aim of the programme • Mutual recognition of study periods • Student and teacher mobility • ”The cooperating universities have jointly decided upon the skills, knowledge and competencies which the graduates of the xxxxxx programme are expected to possess upon the completion of the programme. Do not include the curriculum description!

  9. What should be part of an agreement? 4. Degree and Diploma • Name of degree • Type of diploma: joint or double/multiple, what will be included (DS and transcript) • “The content and the layout of the diploma(s) and the Diploma Supplement(s) should be agreed upon at least one semester before the first cohort of students are expected to complete the programme.”

  10. What should be part of an agreement? 5. Student Admission, Registration and Attendance • Number of students admitted and admission process • Recruitment plan • Registration • Appeals policy and procedures • “Students will normally be subject to the regulations and procedures of the institution at which they follow courses and sit for examinations in a given semester. They will be provided with the same academic resources and support services that are available to all students at that institution.”

  11. What should be part of an agreement? 6. Tuition Fees and Student’s Financial Responsibility • Tuition fees if applicable and possible exception • Student’s financial responsibilities 7. Quality Assurance • The quality assurance plan • “This plan is in accordance with/exceeds the minimum standards of quality assurance of all the cooperating universities” • The programme committee will deliver an annual evaluation report

  12. What should be part of an agreement? 8. Intellectual Property Rights • If applicable, what about intellectual property created jointly? • Bound by national regulations 9. Renewal, Termination and Amendment • Duration of agreement and process of amending • Procedure if one institution withdraws or if the programme is terminated • Students should be able “to complete their courses of study and the programme at all institutions”

  13. When should the agreement be signed? • A Memorandum of Intent can be used and should be signed very early in the planning process • An application for financial support (i.e. Erasmus Mundus) can be considered a Memorandum of Intent • The main agreement should be signed in the latter stages of the planning process when most, or all, legal, academic, administrative and practical issues have been thoroughly discussed and agreed upon • The agreement should be signed by rector and dean of each institution

  14. Thank you for your attention! Hilde.Kramer@ua.uib.no

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