Introduction

The standing and profile of the Australian National Universit can be enhanced by the participation of its staff and students in cooperative cross-institutional agreements. There is, however, also serious potential for embarrassment and institutional damage where agreements are established with insufficient thought or preparation, where the University might be exposed to the inappropriate use of its name or intellectual property or where an inappropriate choice of partner may have political or reputational consequences.

The challenge for the University is to ensure that its  good name is protected and academic cooperation is facilitated without burdensome administrative procedures.

Co-operative arrangements can, of course, vary in formality from ones involving Memoranda of Understanding negotiated on an institution-to-institution basis to ones which result from the initiative of individual staff and relate to the conduct of particular activities or events. Where an award-course of the ANU is involved, however, it it imperative that the University's reputation and the interests of its students be safeguarded.

The University does not seek to regulate the informal inter-institutional cooperation that occurs at the level of individual staff or groups of staff. These sorts of informal arrangements should continue to be encouraged and operate at departmental or faculty levels.

The following guidelines should, however, apply where inter-institutional cooperation is the subject of formal documentation such as Memoranda of Understanding that are signed by one or more officers of the University. These links may involve a range of academic activities such as research cooperation, the recognition of programs that provide students with status for the programs of this University, the delivery of our programs at another institution or staff and/or student exchanges.

Contractual agreement, on the other hand, are covered by existing University policy.

Guidelines

1 Formal inter-institutional agreements for research cooperation and/or for staff and/or student exchanges

1.1 Agreements of this nature may support the activities of schools, departments, faculties, centres or the University as a whole and typically take the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to operate for a nominated period.

1.2 Government requirements limit student exchange programs so defined to periods of not less than one semester (12 weeks) and not more than one year. Any agreement involving the proposed exchange of students should therefore be referred to the International Education Office for advice on matters such as, reciprocity, visa requirements (where appropriate), legal liability and other formalities before it it finalised. Schools, departments, faculties or centres are encouraged to seek the advice of the Internation Education Office in any case before proceeding with any agreement involving students.

1.3 Such agreements may be of various types:

(i) inter-divisional, or agreements at demartmental or centre level, initiated by the relevant Heads, with the signatory on behalf of the Australian National University being the respective Dirctor(s) or Dean(s);

(ii) inter-school, centre or faculty agreements, initiated and endorsed by the Director(s) or Dean(s), with the signatory on behalf of the Australian National University being the Director, Institute of Advanced Studies or Chair, Board of the Faculties;

(iii) any of (i) or (ii) above where there is broader University-level involvement or specifically inter-institutional agreements, endorsed by the Director(s) or Dean(s), in which case the appropriate signatory for the Australian National University is the Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor;

1.4 Notwithstanding item 1.3 above, if the signatory of the proposed partner institution is to be its President/Rector/Chief Executive, the proposed Agreement should, before it is finalised, be forwarded to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor to determine whether from the University's position, the Vice-Chancellor's signature is appropriate, and if so, to forward the document to the Vice-Chancellor.

1.5 Notwithstanding item 1.3 above, if the proposed partner is a Department or Division of a foreign Government, the proposed agreement must be forwarded to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor to determine whether from the University's position, the Vice-Chancellor's signature is appropriate, and if so, to forward the document to the Vice-Chancellor.

1.6 A copy of each Agreement signed in this category should be forwarded to the Internation Education Office for the maintenance of both the University's and the AVCC's national database.

2 Agreements that involve the offering, in whole or part, of any award-bearing program of the University within Australia or overseas

2.1 The Vice-Chancellor is the signatory on behalf of the Australian National University to any agreement where a degree, diploma or certificate program of the University is to be offered either in whole or part in association with or by a partner institution in Australia or overseas.

2.2 A supporting Memorandum should be prepared by the propsing group and should provide brief comment under the following headings:

(i) academic standing and, where appropriate, financial stability of the proposed partner;

(ii) arrangements in the partner institution for internal/external academic quality control and assurance of its educational programs;

(iii) arrangements for the physical and pastoral care of any students involved;

(iv) arrangements for the collection, disbursement and refund or tuition fees (if any) to be paid by those students;

(v) resource implications (both human and financial) of the agreement;

(vi) where relevant, provisions made to protect the University's intellectual property and legal liability;

(vii) where relevant, the arrangements to address any offshore legal and financial requirements, suck as withholding tax provisions.

2.3 The proposed Agreement with Supporting Memorandum should be forwarded to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor who will refer it after endorsement to the Vice-Chancellor.

2.4 Where an Agreement involves the offering of units of study under arrangements that vary significantly from their normal mode of offer, the relevant Head of Department or Centre must certify that the new arrangements are appropriate.

2.5 All Agreements signed under this category will be entered on the University's database by the International Education Office.

3 Agreements to accept prior studies at another institution for status or exemption towards a Degree, Diploma or Certificate of the University for international students

3.1 It is acknowledged that the granting status for prior studies at another institution whether within Australia or overseas is a matter for the faculties themselves.

3.2 The granting of status would not normally entail the setting up of a formal Agreement. In some cases, however, for offshore legal purposes or to enhance international student recruitment, a formal Agreement specifying the extent of the status and the circumstances whereby it is awarded might be deemed desirable by an academic unit.

3.3 The signatory for such agreements is the relevant Dean(s) or Director(s).

3.4 When signing such agreements, the Dean or Director would generally satisfy herself or himself that:

(i) the proposed partner institution is of good academic standing and reputation;

(ii) its students will be properly prepared for their proposed programs of study in Australia;

(iii) all relevant legal and financial requirements have been addressed; and,

(iv) all possible inter-faculty implications have been considered.

3.5 All such agreements should be reported to the Board of the Faculties as early as possible following their conclusion.

3.6 A copy of any such Agreement under this category should be forwarded to the International Education Office for database recording, admissions purposes and to be included in marketing material.

4 International Development Committee

Where agreements are to be signed by the Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor or where there are university-wide implications for activites proposed for agreements covered by any of the categories 1, 2 and 3 above, they may, on being forwarded to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, be considered by an International Development Committee comprising:

• The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Chair)
• Chair, Board of the Faculties (or nominee)
• Member of the Board of the Faculties
• Chair, Board of the Institute of Advanced Studies (or nominee)
• Member of the Board of the Institute of Advanced Studies
• Director, Student Recruitment and International Education
• One student representative

The International Development Committee would also monitor agreements in terms of an overall regional strategy for the university's exchange programs and may provide advice on any issue of internationalisation that the Vice-Chancellor may refer to it.