Setting up an MOA

Download PDF or Word

The first step in establishing a student exchange at ISU is contracting with a potential partner institution abroad. Partner universities may be proposed by anyone, but the decision to pursue a formal agreement with an institution abroad must be supported and approved by a Dean or DEO and by the Provost.

II.1. The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)

A Memorandum of Agreement is a contract between units at cooperating institutions to develop collaborative activities related to research, instruction, and/or extension. In many cases, the MOA sets up the parameters for student exchange between two institutions.

If interest in a partnership is strictly departmental, an MOA can restrict activity to that particular department. If several departments within a college are interested in pursuing the agreement, the MOA can be designed as a college-wide agreement. If more than one college is likely to support the activity of the agreement, an institution-wide agreement is most appropriate.

An agreement need not be between equivalent entities. For example, the College of Engineering could sign an agreement with a technical university abroad. An agreement may include restrictions; for example, the University of Melbourne may elect to send students in agriculture but receive students in engineering. Typically, an agreement will be signed only if there is significant mutual will to collaborate on research, on staff or faculty exchanges, and/or on student exchange.

If a student exchange is the main motivator for an agreement, the following questions should be answered in the affirmative:

• Does the potential partner institution offer academic programs of sufficient academic rigor and similarity to ISU's offerings to ensure that ISU students have an excellent academic experience?
• Is the language of instruction accessible to ISU students, or are classes available in English, or are there provisions for language acquisition before or during the program?
• Are the quality of teaching, length of academic year, and methods of examination of the university equivalent to those at ISU?
• Will ISU students be interested in going to the host institution, and will students from the partner school be interested in coming to Iowa State University?

II.2. Drafting the Memorandum of Agreement

The MOA procedure consists of three stages: the memorandum of agreement proposal, the memorandum of agreement, and the terms of agreement. The proposal stage requires the Study Abroad Center, the Office of Admissions, and the Graduate College (if applicable) to be consulted in order to identify and resolve potential difficulties prior to implementation. Then, approval to proceed is given by the DEO, the Dean of the College, the Business Office, and the Office of the Provost. Sample Memoranda of Agreement and Terms of Agreement templates are included in Appendix 2.1.

Briefly, the MOA will state the intentions of the partnership, including

• research
• student, staff, and/or faculty exchange
• any other activities

The Terms of Agreement, either as an addendum to the MOA or as part of the document, will explain

• how the agreement will operate;
• duration of the agreement (typically five years);
• whether the agreement can be renewed;
• roles and responsibilities of participants;
• financial responsibilities of participants;
• balance issues and expectations (e.g., the number of students to be exchanged in a given period).

The completed draft should be submitted to the Study Abroad Center for review. After approval, the Study Abroad Center will forward the documents for approval and signature by the other entities involved in the approval process.

If you have questions at any point in the MOA process, contact Trevor Nelson, Assistant Director, International Education Services, 294-6792, tnelson@iastate.edu.

II.3. Establish a registration code

As the coordinator of the exchange with the chosen partner university, you will be responsible for notifying the Registrar's Office of the new agreement so that a "designator code" and a course number for the exchange can be assigned (the course prefix for all exchange programs is ExPro). Without a code, ISU students will be unable to register for the exchange.

To have a code assigned, submit a copy of the approved MOA to Jean Brett in the Fee Assessment section of the Registrar's Office, 0460 Beardshear Hall. She will, in turn, forward it to Laura Doering for assignment of the ExPro number and designator code and to Barb Hotchkiss, Records and Registration Clerk, who will add the codes to the course file. Students will then be able to register for the new exchange.

II.4. Determine selection criteria

As a general rule, ISU exchange programs require students to have at least a 3.00 GPA. As coordinator of the exchange, and in consultation with your counterpart at the partner school, you may determine that a slightly higher GPA is necessary for successful completion of the program.

You may also, because of the restrictions imposed by the wording of the MOA, need to limit applications to those students who are in the college or department specified in the MOA.

In consultation with your counterpart at the partner school, determine whether there are services available to students with disabilities, including mobility/hearing/visual impairment, learning disabilities, etc. ISU has an obligation to make reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities.

II.5. Make information available

A successful student exchange depends on making up-to-date information available to students about your own and the partner university. Students will need to know

Where is the institution's Website, and what information does it provide? Is there a campus map? Are course descriptions available on-line? Are student activities listed? Are there links to resources in the surrounding area?

How and when can students access course descriptions and class timetables?

Why should they study at the partner university? For example, ISU students considering the partner school will want to know whether it is the top engineering school in its country, whether it is known for a particular approach, what lab or studio facilities are available, whether there is a sizeable population of international students, or other outstanding features. Incoming exchange students will have the same types of concerns about ISU.

Why should they study on that campus or in that city, country, or region? How will this benefit their career prospects? What is the area known for? How easy and affordable is it to travel in the area? Is the wildlife unique (kangaroos, penguins, mosquitoes)? Are there other features of the area that would be attractive to students?

What costs will be incurred during the exchange? Does the exchange cost include room and board as well as tuition and fees? Are students responsible for finding their own off-campus housing, or is help provided for this? Is a meal plan available for those not in university housing? Do certain majors require that additional fees be paid (voice or instrumental lessons for music majors, materials fees for art or design majors)? Use the budget sheet provided in Appendix 3.4 to help you with both ISU and partner school costs.

How are students housed? What types of housing options are covered by the exchange, and what other options are available at an additional cost (e.g., single room)? If housing is not managed by the institution or its agent, how difficult (and expensive) is it to locate housing? Should students arrive early to arrange their own housing (e.g., University of Sydney advises allowing a month to find off-campus housing)?

By what date should students arrive, and when are their academic obligations finished? Is there an orientation program prior to the beginning of classes? When can students enter university housing? Do students need to stay until the end of the examination period?

How to teaching and learning at the partner institution differ from that at ISU? Some universities do not assign textbooks or readings, do not hold quizzes, and do not make regular assignments prior to the final examination. Other systems require attendance at tutorials. Is attendance in class or other sessions required for a passing grade? How can students know they are making reasonable academic progress if there are no assignments during the semester?

What orientation is available before departure, and what is provided after arrival? Are handbooks, catalogues, etc., available for students beforehand? ISU exchange coordinators are expected to provide a program-specific orientation for ISU students going abroad (see Section IV regarding Predeparture Orientation). Are new students provided with an orientation program at the host school before classes begin?

Be sure to update on a regular basis the information that you provide to students. Be in contact with your counterpart at the partner school so that both of you stay current on topics related to the exchange. Trade hard-copy materials with the exchange coordinator abroad so that you have access to photos, catalogues, brochures, etc., to share with interested students.