Building a Partnership
Establishing a Formal Partnership Agreement
Developing an international partnership agreement requires coordination across multiple WVU offices, including the Office of Global Affairs, Education Abroad, Export Control, General Counsel, the Office of the University Registrar, the Office of Admissions, and relevant academic departments. OGA guides this process in accordance with applicable university, state, and federal policies.
Partnership Development Process
Introduction: A prospective international partner or a WVU faculty or staff member submits a proposal to OGA for a new or renewing partnership agreement.
Drafting: OGA collaborates with the partner institution to develop agreement templates tailored to the scope of the partnership.
Legal Review: Legal teams at both WVU and the partner institution review the draft agreements to confirm compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
Approval: Following legal clearance, agreements are reviewed by relevant university officials. For WVU, this includes an export control screening of the international partner, review by the Office of the University Registrar, and approval by the Associate Vice President & Executive Director for Global Affairs. Both institutions must approve the final draft before proceeding to signatures.
Signatures: OGA coordinates the signing process. Signatures may be obtained in any order based on partner preference. WVU accepts digital, wet, and scanned signatures.
Execution: Both parties implement the terms and activities outlined in the signed agreement and monitor progress to ensure compliance and the fulfillment of agreed-upon timelines.
Types of Partnership Agreements
OGA works with WVU General Counsel to develop standardized templates to assist with drafting. OGA also accepts agreement templates submitted by international partners, pending any necessary revisions. WVU-initiated templates are available for the following agreement types:
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): A general university-level agreement that formalizes the partnership and establishes mutual interest in collaboration, without specifying individual programs or commitments.
Student Exchange Agreements (SEA): Typically paired with an umbrella MOU, this agreement formalizes a commitment by both institutions to send and host students for education abroad. To develop a student exchange agreement, contact WVU Education Abroad (educationabroad@mail.wvu.edu) for an initial introduction.
Transfer Articulation or Guaranteed Admissions Agreements: These agreements facilitate credit transfer processes, support academic advising, and promote the acceptance of equivalent coursework between WVU and a partner institution. Though most common at the undergraduate level, graduate-level articulations and admissions agreements may also be explored.
Additional agreement types may include affiliation agreements, inter-institutional agreements, joint program agreements, faculty and scholars exchange agreements, and letters of support.
Partnership Agreement Renewals
OGA actively monitors the status of all active partnership agreements, including expiration dates. Partnership agreements are typically valid for five-year terms. When an agreement approaches expiration, either OGA or the partner institution may initiate a renewal or termination request in accordance with the agreement's terms. Renewal requests should be submitted 6 to 12 months before the expiration date. OGA will conduct a partnership review before approving any renewal.
To request a partnership renewal, contact Julia Swart, International Partnerships Manager, via email (IntlAgreements@mail.wvu.edu).
Timeframe
The drafting, review, and signature process varies by partnership and typically takes several weeks to a few months. Timelines may be affected by requested revisions, response times, national holidays, or university events.
Common factors that may delay agreement approval include, but are not limited to:
Dispute resolution clauses
Trademark and logo usage
Intellectual property and licensing provisions
Export control compliance
Tax implications
Changes in institutional leadership
Clarification of program details
CONTACT US
For other questions regarding partnerships or agreements, please reach out to the Office of Global Affairs for assistance: IntlAgreements@mail.wvu.edu.