International Partnerships

When initiating any new MOU or other type of international agreement, TU faculty and administrators should carefully consider the following questions.

As a general rule, if any of the following criteria is lacking, an agreement or MOU should not be signed:

• Previous faculty interaction between the proposed partner institutions
• Strong potential for mutual benefit
• Compliance with applicable legal restrictions and university regulations
• Secured financial and infrastructure support (as necessary)
• Identified on-site coordinators or contact persons at each institution
• Stated support from all colleges, departments and programs explicitly implicated in the agreement
• A plan for regular program evaluation and renewal

• General MOU Agreement – This agreement states the intention of the institutions to explore the potential for collaborative activities in different academic or research areas. It does not include specific activities and must be implemented through addenda or separate specific agreements that are required to be approved by the authorized officials.A General MOU Agreement is used to establish the relationship when both institutions believe a formal statement of interest would be an appropriate step. This agreement establishes a substantial framework for exploring collaboration when it seems clear there may be multiple possibilities for collaboration. It identifies and informs both parties about institutional concerns such as restrictions on immigration, technology transfers and intellectual property.
• Agreement for Reciprocal Student Exchanges (RSE) – This agreement provides for the equal exchange of students between TU and an institution abroad. RSE participants are registered at their home institution, so there are no costs associated with tuition. However, RSE activities may have financial, accreditation and immigration implications requiring a thorough evaluation.
• Short-term Study Abroad Agreement – This agreement details the activities associated with a TU Study Abroad Program at a particular site. It includes the specific conditions and expectations from both parties associated with the implementation of the program.Study abroad programs must be approved by the academic departments and follow the policies and procedures established by the Center for Global Education.
• Agreement for Research, Technical or Scientific Cooperation – This document structures the commitments, roles and responsibilities, as well as procedures to implement an exchange of faculty, researchers or administrators between TU and an overseas institution. The financial and logistical implications of the exchange must be discussed and agreed upon before the final agreement is submitted for signature.This document will be reviewed by the Office of Sponsored Research.
• Graduate Studies Agreements – All agreements involving graduate or law students or related programs must be developed in coordination with and approved by Graduate Studies or Law School.
• Dual Degree Agreements – This document structures the program through which students receive two existing degrees, one from each partner institution. Each institution is primarily responsible for its own degree; however, an articulation of courses as well as the procedures to ensure program quality and coordination is required. This agreement allows for the transfer of credit according to existing undergraduate and graduate policies.

As a part of our internationalization efforts, The University of Tulsa partners with institutions in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

• Capital University for Economics and Business, China
• Cathalac Science Education and Policy for People, Panama
• Catholic University of Lille, France
• China University of Petroleum East China, China
• Dublin City University IIDB, Ireland
• Goldsmith’s College, England
• Irish American Partnership, Ireland
• Kingston University, England
• Koya University, Iraq
• Kuwait University, Kuwait
• Leicester University, England
• Massey University, New Zealand
• Mines Albi-Carmaux, France
• PetroVietnam, Vietnam
• Research Institute of Petroleum, China
• Robert Gordon University, Scotland
• Siegen University, Germany
• Singapore Management University, Singapore
• Southwest Petroleum University, China
• TU Dortmund University, Germany
• University Camilo Jose Cela, Spain
• University College Dublin, Ireland
• University of Auckland, New Zealand
• University of Cantabria, Spain
• University of Laval, Canada
• University of New South Wales, Australia
• Waseda University, Japan
• WEUN Worldwide Energy University Network, China
• Yangtze University, China

Global

• Global E3
• MAUI

TU Faculty and Staff interested in proposing an International Partnership, should follow the process below:

1. All TU units, individual faculty or staff must first contact the CGE when interested in exploring a partnership. Please e-mail the director of the CGE, Laura Semenow with information about the proposed partnership. (Download here the International Agreement Justification Form. E-mail completed form to global@utulsa.edu.)
2. CGE will gather information and discuss with appropriate units the viability of the partnership.
3. CGE will draft the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) or other international agreement based on this proposal.
4. Agreements will be reviewed by the International Leadership Council. The purpose of this step is to ensure that all the key questions have been answered, to check for duplication, and to identify opportunities for collaboration and network building.
5. Depending on the type of agreement, the relevant Dean(s), legal counsel, and /or other academic committees may also need to review the document.
6. CGE will forward a recommendation to the Provost regarding the agreement.
7. The Provost will make the final decision regarding the international agreement.
8. CGE will make sure the document is signed and sent to the appropriate parties.

Every agreement should have at least one designated TU contact. The designated contact(s) will be required to submit a brief annual report to the CGE summarizing activities completed under the terms of the international agreement.