The Office of the Vice President for International Affairs has worked closely with IU General Counsel and other administrative offices to develop agreement templates. These templates are intended to help IU faculty and staff get started with the drafting process.
The partner or cooperating foreign entity may request to use its template, particularly if it has limited flexibility because of regulations or internal policies. If this is the case, be sure to compare that template with the appropriate IU template to ensure all required and other relevant terms are represented.
If IU already has a primary agreement with an institution, select the most appropriate sub-agreement for the specific type of activity you are proposing.
If IU does not have a primary agreement with an institution, then start with the most appropriate unit-to-unit agreement for the specific type of activity you are proposing.
A memorandum of intent or letter of intent, documents that are jointly signed by an IU unit and a foreign institution/organization, have restricted uses and should be discussed with the partnerships staff in OVPIA. Per the INT-01 policy, review and approval is required. With few exceptions, OVPIA will draft the document with your input and secure all required approvals. Legal review is required. If the foreign institution or organization requests to use its document, that document may be subject to significant revision, especially if it includes any terms that commit IU to any activities and/or financial resources.
The templates provided below may require modifications or revisions based on the type of activity you intend to propose. The partnerships team in OVPIA will work with you on any changes that may be necessary.
Download a template
Alternative accessible versions of these documents can be requested by contacting the Office of International Partnerships at 812-855-8669 or partner@iu.edu.
A primary partnership agreement establishes formal ties of friendship and cooperation between IU and a partner institution. Although OVPIA typically initiates a primary agreement when multiple IU units are actively collaborating with the institution, any IU unit may recommend a primary agreement to OVPIA. Working with the prospective partner, OVPIA will draft a primary agreement and handle the application, review, and approval processes.
In exceptional cases when required by a prospective partner, an IU unit may submit an application for approval of a general agreement, memorandum of understanding, or similar document that does not specify any activities that will actually be undertaken. The assumption is that the partner will provide the document; therefore, IU does not offer a template. These documents must have a duration, typically one or two years, that reflects a realistic timeframe for a subsequent agreement that formalizes the terms of a specific activity (or activities). That subsequent agreement will supersede the general agreement.
Alternatively, units may consider one of the following but must receive the explicit approval of OVPIA before signing:
Letter of interest: Isued by a provost/chancellor, dean, or department chair, the letter should indicate that the unit is interested in exploring a linkage and that IU has an established approval procedures for ratification of all agreements. The letter of interest should originate from IU and may not be co-signed by the proposed partner institution.
Letter of intent, document of intent, or memorandum of intent: When jointly signed between an IU school or department and a proposed partner institution, any of these are considered are an agreement and cannot be issued independently of the OVPIA approval process.
Before you consider any of the above, you should contact the partnerships team in OVPIA to discuss the viable options.
The student exchange template includes detailed terms on the specific responsibilities for both incoming and outgoing exchange participants.
The terms can be modified depending on the expectations and needs of the partner and/or the IU unit administering the exchange.
The maximum duration of this agreement is five years, and it can be renewed if there is demonstrated evidence of balanced activity over that period of time.
The faculty exchange template includes detailed terms on the specific responsibilities for both incoming and outgoing exchange participants.
The terms can be modified depending on the expectations and needs of the partner and/or the IU unit administering the exchange.
The maximum duration of this agreement is five years, and it can be renewed if there is demonstrated evidence of balanced activity over that period of time.
This template should be used for dual degree arrangements whereby students from both IU and a partner university complete a certain number of credit hours at each university and earn degrees from both IU and the partner university. A dual degree is, by design, reciprocal, with students from IU and the partner university participating in the dual degree program.
This is not a joint degree conferred and signed by both universities. Each university must evaluate a student’s academic performance to determine if the student meets its degree requirements. The decision to confer a degree ultimately resides with each university.
The maximum duration of this agreement is five years, and it may be renewed if the dual degree program has been active.
The cooperative education template should be used to facilitate the transfer of students from an international institution of higher education to IU in order to complete an IU degree. This template should be used for arrangements such as 2+2, 3+2, and 4+1 (or other combinations) whereby students who have completed part or all of a degree at a partner university come to IU to complete degree requirements for IU.
Cooperative education agreements may be signed with an existing partner of IU or with non-partner institutions. Non-partner institutions should not promote the agreement as constituting a partnership with IU.
This template may be used to facilitate short visits of students from an international institution of higher education for the purpose of taking courses or doing research at IU. Students must be admitted to IU as nondegree students and have adequate financial support for the duration of their stay.
This template is a broad academic collaboration agreement that should be modified to fit your unit's needs. It includes faculty and student exchanges, as well as visiting student programs and other general forms of collaboration. Remove any sections that are extraneous to what you and the partnering entity want to pursue.
The maximum duration of this agreement is five years, and it can be renewed if there is demonstrated evidence of balanced activity over that period of time.
This template may be used for specific collaborative projects, programs, or other activities that do not involve faculty/student exchanges or dual degrees.
The terms of the agreement should describe the purpose of each activity, the personnel involved, any financial obligations for IU and the partner, any institutional policies governing each activity, and relevant information regarding visas if international mobility is involved.
The maximum duration of this agreement is five years, and it may be renewed as appropriate.
If most of the agreement terms are not changing in your agreement renewal please use this partnership amendment template to expedite the legal review process. If you have question about whether or not to use this amendment template, please contact the Office of Int’l Partnerships at partner@iu.edu.
