Institutional Agreements

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign collaborates with institutions around the world to facilitate the free exchange of ideas through collaboration. Institutional agreements support unique goals of the University and ensure the mobility of our students, faculty, staff, and peers to make meaningful contributions to the world’s most pressing challenges.

Agreement Process

First Steps

Campus units wishing to establish a new international agreement should ensure that all relevant parties in their department, college, or unit have been consulted and support the proposed agreement. To ensure that maximum mutual benefit, consider the following:

  • The overall quality and academic standing of the potential partner.
  • The overall value of the linkage to the university.
  • The potential for institutional support within the university for the partnership.
  • The commitment to a balanced exchange of students between institutions (for proposed student exchange agreements).

Requesting an Agreement using Approved Templates

Many agreements can be completed using standard templates. Because these templates are approved by OBFS, Legal Counsel, Registrar, Admissions, Graduate College, and Global Relations they allow for expedited processing. In some instances, slight modifications may be needed to a templated form. In that case, make note of the desired changes in the comments section of the intake form or upload a document with changes. Modifying a templated agreement, even slightly, will lengthen the required review time. To initiate a templated agreement, complete the appropriate intake form below for the desired agreement type. Please note that all agreements will be reviewed initially by Global Relations and any agreement establishing student mobility will be reviewed by International Safety and Security.

Cooperative Education (3+2) Agreement

A cooperative education agreement allows students to work for two different university degrees in parallel, completing them in less time than it would take to earn them separately, such as is the case with a 3 + 2 bachelor/master's program.

Fee-Based Study Abroad (Outgoing) Agreement

This agreement allows for students to study at a particular university abroad, or through a study abroad provider program when the University is making payments on behalf of the student to the provider.

General Agreement (Memorandum of Understanding)

This agreement allows institutions to formally document opportunities for activities and programs such as teaching, research, exchange, and staff development that will foster a collaborative relationship. It is sometimes a precursor to a more specific, detailed and binding agreement.

Reciprocal Student Exchange Agreement

A reciprocal agreement allows for the exchange of students between the university and a partner university abroad.

Virtual Global Experience Agreement

Virtual Global Experience Agreements allow students to engage in global learning virtually. Students are able to work with international organizations, collaborate on projects, and conduct research with international faculty and students via a virtual platform.


Requesting an Agreement without an Approved Template

Certain agreements do not yet have approved templates. To initiate such an agreement, complete the intake form below. You also have the option of uploading a partner or custom template in cases where the intake form does not apply.

Agreements that are not completed on standard templates will require additional review and approval prior to being finalized. Approvals vary depending on the type of agreement, and may include any or all of the following:

  • Global Relations
  • International Safety and Security (for student mobility agreements)
  • International Student and Scholar Services
  • Sponsored Programs Administration (for agreements involving collaborative research)
  • University Counsel
  • Purchasing (for agreements involving payments to an outside entity made by the University)
  • Other University units such as Graduate College, Admissions, etc., depending on the nature of the agreement

Customized Agreement

If you have a special program that does not fit an existing template and need a customized agreement, please complete this form and be sure to attach any documentation you have outlining program details in order to expedite the processing of your agreement.

Direct Enroll Study Abroad (Outgoing) Agreement

A direct enroll study abroad agreement allows for students to study at a particular university abroad, or through a study abroad provider program when the student is making payments directly to the university or provider.

Renewing or Amending Agreements

You may renew or amend any existing, unexpired agreement by completing the application available via the buttons below. We suggest initiating renewals at least six months prior to the expiration date of the agreement. If your agreement is expired, you must apply to initiate a new one (see 'Establishing an Agreement').

Fee-Based Study Abroad, Virtual Global Experience Agreements

General MOU, Coopeartive Education, Reciprocal Student Exchange Agreements

Finalizing & Signing an Agreement

In order for any agreement between the university and a foreign institution to be executed, the Comptroller of the university, or a duly appointed proxy, should be the last person to approve and sign.

It is expected that all partner signatures will be secured before the agreement is routed for signatures within the university. If the other party does not have DocuSign or have access to a scanner, they can type their name on the contract and follow that up with an email confirming approval of the contract. If the partner has access to a scanner, it is preferred that a scanned wet signature is applied. DocuSign would be accepted in all cases per OBFS Policy 1.3.5

Once fully executed, Global Relations will provide a copy of the agreement to the requesting unit by email. As official documents of the University, digital copies of all agreements are also archived in myResearch Portal maintained by the Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA) and/or in the Illinois Contracts Systems Repository (iCS) maintained by the Contracts Services Office.

Contact

Global Relations
507 E. Green St., Suite 426
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
Phone: 217-333-6104 | Fax: 217-265-0810
Email: iip-globalrelations@illinois.edu