International Partnerships & Collaborations

University partnerships with international entities can take many forms. A few of the many common forms of collaborations include study abroad programs, student exchange programs, and research collaborations.

Types of International Agreements

There are two major categories of agreements used in university international partnerships: non-binding and binding.

Typically, a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) is a general statement of mutual interest to explore opportunities for collaboration, and does not include commitment of university funds, staff, facilities, or other university resources. These MOUs are also known as “hand-shake” agreements.

The collaboration agreements with any commitment of university resources including funds, staff, facilities, or other UC assets become formal contracts. Formal contracts detail the terms and conditions of specific forms of collaboration, and are legally binding on both parties.

UC international activities, collaborations, and legal establishment of UC international presence must obtain all necessary approvals, and must follow UC policies.

Useful Resources

The UC Guidelines for the Establishment and Operation of Foreign Affiliate Organizations and Foreign Operations clarify the terms and conditions which must be met by current and proposed foreign affiliates and foreign operations established to support the University’s teaching, research and public service missions.
The UCSF EVCP page provides an overview of different international collaboration and partnership types
NACUBO IRC has resources on various collaboration types and structures.

International Partnerships & Collaborations