Any time a program or individual (acting in their official university capacity) seeks to form a collaboration with an international institution for the purpose of research, student and/or faculty exchange, degree articulation (such as a 2+2 or 2+3) or other scholarly purpose, an Institutional Collaboration Agreement and an accompanying Activity Agreement, Exchange Agreement, Transfer Agreement, or Articulation Agreement must be developed and approved by UC International, the appropriate VP, and the Office of General Counsel.

UC International must be notified in advance of any agreements being drafted, agreed upon, or signed. Failure to include UC International in the planning and development process will result in an agreement not meeting University approval.

The Office of General Counsel has reviewed standard agreement types and has advised us regarding necessary general provision language each contract should contain. It is required that you use our templates in lieu of drafting your own agreement or using the partner school’s template. For more information on the types of agreements, and to download the templates, please visit our templates page.

NOTE: No one other than a contracting officer from the Office of General Counsel or the president of the university can sign the university into a legally binding relationship with another institution. Should an agreement not contain the signature of a contracting officer or the president, the university has no obligation to honor the terms of the agreement and the UC personnel who did sign it will be personally liable if any problems result from having done so.

The Process of Developing an Agreement

1. Contact UC International

Email or call the appropriate person for the type of agreement you would like to enter into so that UC International is aware of your interest. For more information on the types of agreements and the necessary contact, please visit our templates page.

2. Work with international partner

Using UC's templates, work with the partner to develop mutually agreeable terms. All agreements must contain the General Provisions language provided by the Office of General Counsel, which is currently included in the templates.

If you know which type of agreement you would like to prepare, the contact information or download is available below. To learn more about the types of agreements and determine which is appropriate for your collaboration, visit our templates page.

3. Email draft to UC International for approval

Send a Word copy of the proposed agreement to the designated person for your type of agreement. Make sure to accompany this email with the following information when it is time to acquire signatures:

• Name of the person at partner institution who should receive the agreement for signing
• Street number and name for above person
• Any additional delivery information (such as room number)
• District or Province (if applicable)
• City
• Postal Code
• Email address for above person
• Telephone number for above person
• Fax number for above person

4. Start the signature process

If department and/or college signature is required:

• Print out two copies of agreement
• Obtain original dated UC signatures on both copies
• Send via campus mail to the designated person for your type of agreement

If no department/college signature is required:

• Send the finalized Word document to UC International
• UC International will print out two copies, prepare required forms, obtain appropriate signatures, and prepare mailing to partner institution for original signatures.

5. Send agreement to partner institution

UC International will send the agreement to the partner institution for signatures by:

• Preparing an A910 for the provost's review and signature by one of the contracting officers of the Office of General Counsel (OGC). 
• Preparing a UPS mailing envelope for shipping to partner institution with enclosed instructions to sign and date both copies of the agreement and return one copy to the Office of General Counsel.

6. Receive fully executed copy of agreement

UC’s original is retained in the Office of General Counsel. UC International will receive a PDF of that original. It is only when all original signatures are obtained and each institution has their copy that the agreement is fully executed and in force.