UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH PROCEDURE 02-01-05

CATEGORY:               ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
SECTION:                   Academic Programs
SUBJECT:                  International Inter-institutional Academic Agreements
EFFECTIVE DATE:    May 7, 2004 Revised
PAGE(S):                    3

I.    PURPOSE

      To outline the process for the execution and tracking of all international inter-institutional

      academic agreements.

II.   SCOPE

      This procedure applies to any agreement 1) between the University of Pittsburgh and one

      or more foreign governments and/or universities or other organizations domiciled outside

      the United States, regarding the use of the University’s faculty, student, library, or other

      research or instructional resources, or 2) that commits the University of Pittsburgh to the

      deployment of faculty, student, library, or other research or instructional resources outside

      of the United States.

      Agreements governed by this procedure include, but are not limited to, friendship

      agreements and memoranda of understanding (with or without financial obligations);

      program-specific linkages with or without financial obligations (e.g., a library access or

      exchange program, an internship, a language program, a training program, a field research

      program); and institutional linkages that commit the University to broad-based programs
      and/or exchanges with associated financial obligations (e.g., faculty and student exchanges,

      joint research projects).

III.  ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES

      The Chancellor exercises final approval of all international inter-institutional academic

      agreements.

      The Provost or the Senior Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, as appropriate, reviews and

      approves all international inter-institutional academic agreements involving their respective

      vice chancellor areas, prior to submission to the Chancellor.

      University Counsel is responsible for reviewing all proposed contracts and agreements to

      which the University is to be a party, and ensuring that the legal rights and responsibilities

      of the University and its employees are protected.

      The Office of International Services (OIS) is responsible for reviewing all proposed

      international inter-institutional agreements to ensure that the agreements do not conflict

      with current U.S. immigration laws/regulations and are able to be fully facilitated by OIS.

      The University Center for International Studies (UCIS) is responsible for coordinating and

      facilitating the development and implementation of international agreements, serving as the
      repository for original copies of international agreements, and maintaining a campus-wide

      accessible computer database of all international agreements, historic and current.

      University schools and departments, before entering into or negotiating any international

      agreement, as described above, are responsible for completing and forwarding to UCIS,

      FORM 0194 PITT 5026, International Agreement Routing Form.

IV.  PROCEDURE

      Initiator (Faculty or Staff)           1.   At the earliest stages of conceptualization of an

                                                               international opportunity, complete FORM 0194 PITT

                                                               5026, International Agreement Routing Form (Exhibit A),

                                                               as instructed.

                                                         2.   Prior to acquiring approval signatures, forward the form

                                                               to UCIS for review, together with a draft of the proposed
                                                               agreement.

                                                               Note: UCIS maintains and regularly updates a variety of
                                                               models of agreements for use in drafting new

                                                               agreements.  These models are available from UCIS to

                                                               all members of the University community upon request.

      UCIS                                           3.   Confirm that the agreement passed the preliminary review,

                                                               or that problems uncovered during the preliminary review

                                                               have been corrected.

                                                         4.   If approved, sign and return form to the originating faculty

                                                               or staff member.

      Initiator                                        5.   Secure the required approvals as indicated in the

                                                               Authorization section of FORM 0194 PITT 5026,

                                                               International Agreement Routing Form.

                                                               Note: UCS will work with the faculty member and other
                                                               parties to expedite all subsequent reviews and

                                                               necessary adjustments for completion of the routing

                                                               form and the final execution of the agreement.

                                                               Generally, agreements should be submitted to General
                                                               Counsel only after they have been approved in substance

                                                               by the chief administrator responsible for the subject
                                                               matter of the agreement. (See Policy 01-05-01, Legal
                                                               Services.)

                                                         6.   Upon final execution of the agreement, forward the

                                                               original Routing Form and finalized agreement to UCIS
                                                               for inclusion in the database.

UCIS                                                 7.   Incorporate agreement into the International Agreement
                                                               database to facilitate both the preliminary reviews of
                                                               subsequent proposed agreements and to provide

                                                               information to University administrators, upon request,

                                                               about the University’s international commitments and

                                                               opportunities.

V.  REFERENCES

      Policy 02-01-05, International Inter-institutional Academic Agreements

      Exhibit A - FORM 0194 PITT 5026, International Agreement Routing Form

      University of Pittsburgh of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education - BYLAWS,

      Article IV, “Execution of Instruments,” adopted by the Board of Trustees, January 14, 1969,

      as amended

      Policy 01-03-03, Execution of Instruments

      Policy 01-05-01, Legal Services