I/1.4 International Cooperation Agreements

Contact Officer	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations)
Approval Date	10/06/2021
Approval Authority	Vice-Chancellor and President
Date of Next Review	01/06/2024

1.4.1 Purpose
1.4.2 Application
1.4.3 Roles and responsibilities
1.4.4 Approval process
1.4.5 Review
1.4.6 Delegations
Related Documents
Modification History

1.4.1 Purpose

International Cooperation Agreements (ICA) are one form of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The purpose of this policy is to ensure that QUT's formal international engagements accord with its international vision and strategic objectives, and its policy on management of contracts and MOUs (A/1.6). It provides a framework for the development, maintenance and management of all international agreements and memoranda of understanding.

Further guidelines for the administration and maintenance of International Cooperation Agreements can be found on the Digital Workplace (QUT staff access only).

QUT manages ICAs and MOUs in accordance with Commonwealth legislation relating to foreign arrangements, foreign influence and other statutory obligations. This policy should be read in conjunction with the procedures for International Cooperation Agreements and Foreign arrangements accessible in Digital Workplace (QUT staff access only).

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1.4.2 Application

This policy applies to all International Cooperation Agreements, with the following exceptions:

commercial or contractual agreements that are negotiated through the Research Portfolio including transnational teaching arrangements, (which are managed in accordance with A/1.6); and
QUT International recruitment representative contracts and agreements (which are managed in accordance with I/1.5).

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1.4.3 Roles and responsibilities

Position	Responsibility
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations)	approves International Cooperation Agreements between QUT and international partner institutions oversees notification of International Cooperation Agreements, in compliance with the Foreign Arragements Scheme
Manager, International Relations, QUT International	assesses and recommends to Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations) agreements between QUT and international partner institutes, after endorsement by the Executive Director, QUT International

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1.4.4 Approval process

QUT staff who identify the need for the establishment of a formal agreement or memorandum with an international institution should in the first instance liaise with the relevant faculty or divisional committee for consideration and endorsement by the executive dean of faculty, head of portfolio or head of division. The proposal should include an explicit statement that:

provides the rationale for the agreement

identifies the contact person/s and their functions in the institution

provides an indication of how the outcomes of the agreement may be managed

includes a time horizon for the agreement and necessary review dates

identifies obligations for both parties; and

considers any issues which may be pertinent to QUT's broader engagement in a specific country / region (e.g. home country financial aid arrangements).

Proposals must be made using the Checklist for a Partner Agreements on the Digital Workplace (QUT staff access only). Agreements are assessed to determine any external notification requirements.

Following formal endorsement by the executive dean of faculty, head of portfolio or head of division, the proposal is forwarded to the Manager, International Relations, QUT International, for comment and recommendation to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations) via the Executive Director, QUT International.

An International Cooperation Agreement may lead to the development of separate collaborative activities with the partner that require a further specific agreement. Proposals for these should be advised in detail in advance to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations) via the Manager, International Relations. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations) may delegate the signing of such agreements to the executive dean of faculty, head of portfolio or head of division.

Where an International Cooperation Agreement is not required or considered an unnecessary formality, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations) may recommend and delegate the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) at the faculty/portfolio/division level. Arrangements captured in an LOI are also potentially subject to Commonwealth legislation relating to foreign arrangements, foreign influence and other statutory obligations, and should be executed in conjunction with the procedures for International Cooperation Agreements and Foreign arrangements accessible in Digital Workplace (QUT staff access only).

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations) reports annually to the Vice-Chancellor and President on approved agreements.

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1.4.5 Review

Agreements will normally be made for a five year period, with a review to be conducted six months prior to expiry. The review will be led by QUT International with recommendation for renewal or otherwise made to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (International and External Relations).

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1.4.6 Delegations

Refer to Register of Authorities and Delegations (VC014) (QUT staff access only).

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Modification History

Date	Sections	Source	Details
10.06.21	All	Vice-Chancellor and President	Periodic review and revisions to responsibilities and external obligations as a result of Repositioning QUT for a post-COVID world reorganisation and Commonwealth foreign influence, foreign interference and foreign arrangement requirements
20.12.18	All	Director, Governance and Legal Services	Policy renumbered and relocated to I/1.4 (formerly I/3.1) - Chapter I restructure
07.12.18	All	Vice-Chancellor and President	Periodic review – clarification of approval process
24.01.13	All	Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Development)	Revised poilcy- minor editorial changes only
02.04.09	All	Director, International Business Development, QUT International	Editorial amendment – removed reference to Regional Reference Groups (disestablished 05.12.08)
23.09.08	All	Vice-Chancellor	Revised policy to update review requirements
29.06.07	I/3.1.1	Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Development)	Editorial amendment consistent with terms of reference of re-structured international committees
28.02.06	All	Vice-Chancellor	New policy (endorsed by International Policy and Strategy Committee 27.06.05 and Vice-Chancellor's Advisory Committee 23.11.05); replaces former policy D/9.1 International institutional agreements

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