The University of Akron
Office of International Programs
Guidelines for Establishing Agreements
When a faculty member or administrator is contacted or contacts an individual from an
overseas institution concerning an exchange agreement relationship, the following procedures
will facilitate the creation of an exchange agreement between The University of Akron and an
exchange institution.
Step 1: Individuals from both institutions agree that a formal cooperation agreement
would be consistent with the mission and purpose of each institution and mutually
beneficial for any or all of the following: students, faculty, research scholars, and
administrators.
o A general Letter of Intent or Interest initiated by representatives from either The
University of Akron or an exchange institution abroad is adequate to begin the
process of establishing an official exchange agreement.
Step 2: The Director of the Office of International Programs will meet with the university
representative to clarify the type of agreement most appropriate for the participating
institutions. Issues to discuss would include:
o Clearly define reciprocity, obligations and institutional commitments.
o Establish institutional contacts for both accredited institutions.
o Establish focus of the agreement: faculty, students, internships, research, etc.
Step 3: A draft copy of an agreement will be produced to forward to department chairs,
Deans, and the exchange institution contacts for additional comments.
Step 4: (Optional) A second meeting will be conducted with The UA representative to
discuss suggested changes in the agreement.
Step 5: The Office of the Director of International Programs forwards an Agreement of
Cooperation for approval by appropriate university representatives. An approval page
with instructions will accompany the agreement for routing. The signatures will include:
o Director of the International Programs
o University of Akron Agreement Contact Representative
o College Dean (Graduate Dean when graduate level tuition waiver scholarships
are involved)
o General Counsel's Office
o Provost's Office
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Step 6: (Optional) Additional editing needs are completed by the Director of The Office
International Programs before the final proposal is presented to the Provost who will
present the document to the President.
Step 7: The Provost notes approval and either:
o a: If UA is the initiating institution, a translation in the overseas institution's
official language is prepared and the Provost requests the UA President's
endorsement on both original language copies.
o b: If the overseas institution is the initiating institution, a translation in that
country's official language is prepared. The President of the initiating institution
would first sign both original language copies and return them to the Director of
International Programs for routing.
Step 8: The original documents are retained both by the exchange institution and The
University of Akron.
Step 9: Additional exchange agreement activities requiring institutional financial
commitments will need to be coordinated through the Office of International Programs
prior to approval by the University General Counsel's Office as well as the Provost's
Office. Such agreements can only be signed by the University President.
The Protocol for Admission of Reciprocity Students is available for download.
For additional information concerning this process, please contact the Director of International
Programs at 330-972-6493.
Expectations for Campus Exchange Contact
Due to budget and staff reductions that have occurred under past administrations, the Office of
International Programs has had to make choices in providing services to the campus. Presently,
we have including the director, eight full-time professional staff members who are responsible
for the following areas of service:
International student admissions: Undergraduate (1)
Immigration counseling for 1000+ international faculty, scholars, and students (3)
An orientation program for incoming international students (1/3)
Undergraduate academic advising for all undergraduate inter. students (1/3)
Social programming coordination for the campus and community (1/3)
Study, work, travel abroad programming and library for the campus (1)
Full-time secretary (1)
Full-time administrative secretary (1)
Director (1)
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The logistics of sending 180 + students abroad and hosting 900+ international students is
enormous. Given the assignment and limited number of staff members to do so, the Office of
International Programs does a reasonably good job.
With this understanding in mind, faculty members who want to establish an exchange
agreement must be willing take a large role in the development and ongoing logistics of
establishing and maintaining exchange agreements. As time permits, the Office of International
programs will assist the faculty member in all aspects of the exchange agreement development,
but will not be able to take responsibility/leadership for the success of particular exchanges.
Given the present staffing and budget restriction of the OIP, those who initiate exchanges must
consider carefully the following issues:
Reciprocity interests of students and faculty wanting to visit exchange site
Hosting visitors from the exchange institution (time/budget)
Overall objectives for this particular institution, clearly identified
Identifying and maintaining a good rapport with our counterparts
Course equivalencies for specific courses
Involved in assessing the appropriateness of specific student/faculty exchanges
Know well the services provided by sister institution
Available to counsel students about particular institutions
Have adequate understanding, trust, and knowledge of the site to adequately advise
students about their experience there.
Campus contact must be long-term or have someone else in mind to take
responsibilities in the event they leave Univ. of Akron
Regular sight visits to assess student satisfaction, changes, and opportunities
Needed information: For each institution we need:
Calendar for the academic year (including the best date to arrive, exam dates, and any
breaks)
Admission application forms from the host institution
Listing of housing options (home stay, residence halls, apartments, shared flats, etc.)
and housing application forms (if any). Housing deposit needed before arrival?
Sample budget for a semester
Does the institution have an international student orientation program? If so, what are
the dates? Is there an additional charge?
What is the best airport to arrive at for the program site? What are the additional land
costs? What is the best mode of transportation from the airport to the University?
Where will students stay when they first arrive (local youth hostel, with host family….)
Is there food service available for students other than local restaurants? Can students
cook at their housing, if needed?
Where will the students buy food to cook themselves (local street markets on certain
days, nearby shops)? Can they also buy bedding materials locally? Other shopping
available?
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What are the "don’t miss" travel/tourist sites in the local area?
Does the host institution offer any excursions for students?
Who is the best contact person for the students when they first arrive? Need name,
telephone, FAX, e-mail, and home telephone, if possible. Can they ship packages to this
person for themselves before arriving?
Is there an English library available on or near campus?
Will the students have access to computer facilities (e-mail, www, word processing)
Where will the students do their banking? Is there a branch bank on campus
Are there restrictions that students must abide by on campus (appearance, attire,
curfew, alcohol consumption)?
Where will the students purchase their books for classes?
What is the local transportation system like?
Will the students need to register with the local authorities? If so, where?
May students work for pay while studying at this institution?
Is special student health insurance required or may students provide their own plans?
Are there drugstores or pharmacies near to campus?
Is there a health care facility on campus? If so, is there an additional charge for this?
Are there any special recommendations for the personal safety of the students in the
local area?
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