Guidelines for International Agreements (MOUs)

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All international agreements must be approved by the appropriate offices and signed by an authorized individual. Most will be signed by the Vice Provost for Global Strategy and Initiatives, as authorized by Policy 1.2. To facilitate this process, the Office of Global Strategy and Initiatives (GSI) serves as the central point of contact for individuals interested in entering into MOUs. Individuals wishing to enter into international agreements. To determine the correct signatory, please contact Global Services.

Offices that plan to enter into new international agreements or renewals should adhere to the following guidelines to expedite the process and ensure timely signing:

  1. Designate an agreement contact responsible for guiding the proposed agreement through the draft and approval phases to completion.
  2. Discuss the proposed agreement with the relevant department chair and dean. It is important for the dean to tentatively sign off on the proposed ideas before moving forward. Formal dean approval will be required later in the process. Please also note that some schools may have designated staff to process agreements. Please contact GSI if you are unsure of your school or department contact.
  3. Work with GSI to determine the type of agreement and signer. Once the agreement type has been determined, GSI can provide additional advice about any deviations from the general workflow.
  4. Develop an initial draft of the agreement. If any agreements already exist with the foreign institution, GSI and the Office of General Counsel (OGC) will help decide whether to create a new agreement or add a supplement to the existing agreement. GSI can also provide templates for certain types of agreements. Foreign institutions may also provide their own templates, which will need to be reconciled with Emory's legal requirements.
  5. Send the draft of the agreement to GSI for proofing. GSI will coordinate with OGC to provide legal edits to ensure that the preliminary draft adheres to Emory's policies for legal agreements. GSI will work with other offices, as necessary, to ensure any additional reviews that are necessary. Contact Global Services for the updated approved student exchange template.
  6. Work with the foreign institution to finalize language and arrive at a mutually agreeable final draft of the proposed document. This process will likely require additional conversations with GSI, OGC, and the partner to arrive at mutually agreeable language. Other institutions may require the agreement to also be signed in a foreign language. It is important to confirm these details with the foreign partner. If the partner requires a second language for execution, translation for comparison is the responsibility of the agreement contact or department. GSI can recommend resources on campus that may be able to help at an additional cost.
  7. Send final draft of the agreement to GSI for final language approvals. GSI will coordinate with OGC to confirm final language. After the final language is confirmed, the document begins the approval and signature phase.
  8. Obtain written approval from the relevant school dean(s) and forward to GSI. (Note: this step is not necessary for exchange agreements that involve only one Emory school.)
  9. Send final draft to foreign partner for initial signatures. The agreement is not final until both sides have signed the agreement. The foreign partner will return the signed agreement to Emory. GSI will facilitate Emory signatures once the foreign signatories have signed. Please note that some institutions may require multiple copies of the signed agreement, each with original signatures, while others may not.
  10. GSI will obtain relevant signatures from Emory leadership. Most agreements will be signed by the Vice Provost for Global Strategy and Initiatives. Certain agreements require additional signature authority.
  11. GSI will keep an electronic copy of the signed agreement on file. The originating department should also keep a copy.
  12. Send a copy of the executed agreement to the foreign partner.
  13. Monitor and assess the progress of the relationship with the foreign institution. Within six months of the agreement expiring, contact representatives of the foreign institution to determine their interest in continuing or renewing the collaboration. Please note that this renewal process may take longer than six months. It is advisable to start as early as possible.