Information for Designing Cooperation Agreements

This website provides useful information on designing and approching cooperation agreements with international partner universities. We will gladly send you a sample agreement and help you tailor it to your needs.

Types of contracts (selection):

• cooperation agreements for the entire university 
• cooperation agreements at the level of a faculty/institute
• agreements regarding certain activities 
• Student exchange
• Double/joint degrees
• Cotutelle

Nota bene: Agreements regarding ERASMUS cooperations are highly standardized. All other contracts will be negotiated individually. The International Office will gladly provide you with an appropiate contract sample.

Patterns of Agreement (selection):

• Letter of Intent: declaration of intent or objective
• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU): documentation of the wholehearted will to pursue an aim, possibly listing necessary further steps that will be taken 
• Legal agreement 
  • General Agreement: setting frame of understanding
  • Specific arrangements regarding student and lecturer exchange, research, etc. 

Agreements

• require written form 
• there are no constraints regarding the type of contract. Note that the title functions only as an indicator - the content (!) is relevant. 
• commitment is made with the cooperation partner. 
• must not be in breach with federal and federal state law. 

Content of Agreements (obligatory):

• preamble/caption: demonstration of good will, description of the history af agreement 
• name of cooperation partner
• object of agreement
• dealings with costs, tution fees 
• agreements on modifications 
• contract period and limitation of contract 
• notice period
• number of copies
• severability
• overall coordination, project coordination 
• signature, seal
• date

Further content (depending on the opject of the agreement):

• access to library
• accomodation 
• admission (to one or both universities)
• conditions and reservations
• confidentiality
• examination modalities
• financial support and obligations (e.g. research)
• health insurance
• infrastructure provided
• (partial) scholarships  
• status
• syllabus
• Studienprogramm
• Unterbringung
• timetable
• transfer of credits, documentation of study performance