Home   Global Relations   Types of agreements
Global Initiatives

Types of agreements

All International Academic Agreements are established in coordination with UTSA’s Office of Global Initiatives. Agreements are governed by a combination of Texas state law, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Rules, and UTSA policies. It is always preferable to work off of the UT System templates to ease the process of approval through UTSA. 

UTSA usually develops two, non-binding ‘parent’ agreements with an international institution before establishing a more focused academic program with them. All agreements are first vetted through Global Initiatives. Each type of program will have unique processes and approving entities within UTSA.  

The Global Relations Advisor will arrange for review and sign-off from legal affairs and the Vice Provost for Global Initiatives. The requestor is responsible for acquiring departmental approval. Finalized and formal UTSA international agreements require the signatures of the UTSA President, or his designee, the Vice Provost for Global Initiatives and Senior International Officer, and a commensurate representative from the partner international institution. 

There are three types of possible agreements. In general, agreements begin at the cooperative level and progress further over time:

  1. Cooperation Agreement - A general agreement used to establish the intent between UTSA and a comparable international institution to cooperate in areas of mutual benefit to both institutions. This agreement confirms that UTSA and a foreign institution have established a formal relationship and may agree to cooperate on programs that are more specific in the future.  A Cooperation Agreement and an Affiliation Agreement should be in place before signing a Program Agreement.

  2. Affiliation Agreement - An agreement used to establish a relationship of a more defined and continuing nature.  This agreement, along with the Cooperation Agreement, serves as the foundation for future Program Agreements.  The primary objective of this Agreement is to create a means for cooperative efforts between UTSA and a comparable international institution to affect the interchange of faculty and students and academic and research information between the two educational institutions.  Under this Agreement, the types of cooperation described may include the reciprocal exchange of students or faculty, collaborative research projects, exchange of publications, reports or other academic information, collaborative professional development, and other activities as mutually agreed.  An Affiliation Agreement and a Cooperation Agreement should be in place before signing a Program Agreement.

  3. Program Agreement - This agreement implements mutually agreed to activities between UTSA and a comparable international institution.  The Program Agreement articulates the details of a specific program already included within the provisions of an approved Affiliation Agreement.  There are several types of Program Agreements with the Student Exchange Program Agreement being the most common. 
    • Reciprocal Student Exchange Program: A common agreement that allows UTSA and the students of international partner institutions to study abroad while paying home university tuition and fees. Education Abroad Services, a unit of International Services administrates these partnerships. 
    • Articulation Program Agreement: Course-for-course transfer agreements between two institutions in different countries.  These agreements involve a specified set of courses that will be offered during a given term and then transferred in bulk to the other institution.  
    • Experiential Learning for Incoming Students and/or Outgoing Students: This agreement allows UTSA students to participate in Faculty-led programs organized by partner institutions OR partner institution’s students to participate in Special Programs organized by UTSA.  
    • Dual degree Program Agreement: This agreement represents the institutional commitment to allow a degree program to be designed and delivered by two or more partner institutions in different countries. The student will receive credentials from both institutions. 
      • Cotutelle Agreement: An agreement that represents the mentors’ commitment to joint supervision at the doctoral degree level. This agreement is signed by the Ph.D. candidate and the candidate’s supervisors.  

For more information, email the Global Relations Advisor at globalrelations@utsa.edu

Agreements flowchart