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International Partnerships

International partnerships are established to broaden academic environment and promote international friendship through exchange of student, faculty, research collaboration and educational and development programs. Texas Tech University has more than 150 partnership agreements with universities and institutions in almost 50 countries.

 

Partnership Agreement Database  　　　　　　　

 

Types of Agreements

  1. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is often called General Agreement and it is the loosest kind of agreement two institutions can establish to initiate a partnership.An MOU is basically signed to mutually recognize friendly and cooperative relationship, but it also allows two institutions to have various kinds of interactions including the following:

Certain activities will require specific agreements based on the mutually agreed cooperative partnership identified in MOU.

  1. Reciprocal Exchange Agreement

Reciprocal exchange agreements are established to implement a reciprocal exchange program with a foreign institution. TTU students pay tuition and fees at TTU, international students (exchange students) pay tuition and fees at their home institution, and the students exchange places in the classroom. A balance in the numbers of students, credit hours, etc., exchanged must be maintained. Student participants are registered in general studies. When Office of International Affairs receives the students’ transcripts, TTU course equivalents are identified by the department in which the course would be taught at TTU and the students receive credit and grades for the course work they have completed abroad. Grades for these courses are calculated into the student’s GPA on the TTU transcript.

  1. Affiliation Agreement

Affiliation agreements are established to facilitate an opportunity for TTU students to participate in the academic programs of foreign institution or organization. TTU students pay tuition and fees directly to the foreign institution or organization and they receive credit and a grade for the completed course from the institution/organization. While the course credit is listed on the TTU transcript as a TTU course equivalent, the grade is not calculated into the student’s GPA. Credit for TTU degree requirements is determined by the applicable department for each course. TTU students who receive national/international scholarships such as, but not limited to, Fulbright and Rotary will be registered in affiliated studies during their participation in the program. Credit and grades come back to TTU with course equivalents being determined by the department in which that course would be taught at TTU. As with all affiliated studies, the grade is not calculated into the TTU GPA.

  1. Consortium Agreement

Consortium agreements are for the programs in which a department or college of TTU joins a consortium of other schools to pool resources in order to offer study abroad experiences to all of the institutions’ students. Usually, a program fee covers the cost of running the program. Some consortium programs operate like other affiliated studies programs. Some involve teaching by TTU faculty, in which case TTU students are able to register directly in TTU courses.

  1. Joint/Double (Dual) Degree Agreement

Joint or double degree agreements are for the programs in which TTU students take some course work for a TTU degree at a foreign institution. The program often works as an exchange program in that TTU students pay tuition and fees at TTU, while students from the foreign institution pay that institution’s tuition and fees. TTU students receive credits and grades for course work completed abroad and this course work counts toward the TTU degree. Both institutions shall discuss and agree on the course work and credit hours that should be completed in both institutions in order to obtain the degree. For joint degree programs, participants will receive a single diploma with the seal of the home (TTU) and host (foreign) institutions. For double degree programs, participants will receive two different diplomas from both institutions for their degrees.

Procedures for Establishing Agreements

Below is a brief outline of the steps to establish an agreement. Once you have decided to establish an agreement, please read OP34.20 for more details.

  1. Overview

A series of important steps must be taken in order to establish and maintain international partnerships. International partnerships can be initiated by individual faculty or Department; however, the Office of International Affairs is responsible for overseeing the process and maintaining the status of the agreement.

Agreements have effective term of three (3) years in principle.

Faculty involvement is very important in sustaining active and successful partnerships. For academic collaboration based on an MOU, the initiating faculty and Department will work directly with the partner institution to develop collaboration programs. The faculty and Department who initiated the partnership will also work closely with Study Abroad Office to recruit students, monitor student balance and ensure successful implementation of exchange programs.

  1. Procedure to Establish Agreement
  1. Check the Existing Agreements
    Before creating a new agreement, check current agreement database to see if TTU or its unit have an agreement with the institution you are interested in as a potential partner. If there already is an effective agreement in place, you may only need to develop collaborative program from there.
  1. Identify the Merit of Having the Partnership
    When considering of establishing a new partnership, review the issues outlined below to identify if the partnership is truly mutually beneficial and sustainable.
  1. Secure Endorsements
    Once you know the type of agreement you want to have and obtained necessary information, please fill out the worksheet and submit to OIA. Upon establishing a new partnership, the initiating faculty must consult with and secure endorsement by the Dean of the College or its designee, such as Associate Dean in charge of international affairs/study abroad programs or Department Chair if appropriate. If there is any other College/Department(s) or student service unit(s) that will participate in the agreement, the initiating faculty must have endorsement by their head person as well. Signatures are required on the worksheet as the proof of endorsement.

    Iif the agreement involves reciprocal exchange programs or any other study abroad opportunities (affiliation agreement, consortium agreement, joint/double degree, etc), initiating faculty should discuss with the Director of Study Abroad the feasibility of sending students and maintaining the student balance.

    Furthermore, the Director of International Student and Scholar Services should be contacted to obtain information on immigration issues and/or its implications if any international students/scholars/visitors may be coming to TTU as part of the agreement.
  1. Drafting the Agreements
    After receiving endorsement from the appropriate parties, the initiating faculty should contact the person in charge of international agreements at Office of International Affairs and discuss about establishing the agreement. The staff at OIA will contact the person in charge at the partner institution and start drafting the agreement. The initiating faculty should notify OIA of the contact information of the person in charge or counterpart the faculty has been in touch with at the partner institution.

    The format of the agreement can be flexible. It can be drafted either based on TTU standard format, the format from the partner institution, or a new format which both parties agree.
  1. Approval and Signature
    Once the draft has been finalized and agreed upon by both sides, OIA will make two original copies of the agreement and direct signature of the agreement. The agreement must be signed by the Provost and the Vice Provost for International Affairs. Extra signatories may be added depending on the subject of the agreement.

    When both sets of the agreement have been signed, OIA will send the original copies to the other party for their signature (or return one original copy if they already have been signed by the other party). OIA will send photo-copies of the agreements to concerned faculty and offices on campus and add the agreement to its website.
  2. Evaluation and Renewal/Termination of the Agreement
    Initiating faculty and its Department, in cooperation with OIA, will make its most effort to maintain successful partnership and implement active academic programs.

    OIA will keep records of the effective terms of all the agreements. Before the agreement expires, OIA will consult with initiating faculty/ Department as to whether or not the agreement should be extended.

    If it is mutually agreed that the agreement should be extended, OIA will propose the renewal to the partner institution and draft and direct signatures for the renewal agreement. If initiating Department and OIA think the agreement has become inactive and should be terminated, the staff at OIA will notify that to the other party and terminate the agreementin accordance with the termination clause.