Request a Sister School Agreement

How to Request a Sister School Agreement

The Division of International Affairs is dedicated to optimizing our 140+ academic Sister School agreements through identifying international opportunities of appropriate academic and cultural fit for both faculty and students.

Sister School partnership agreements between UIW and foreign universities or institutions are governed by a combination of Texas state law, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges rules and guidelines, and UIW policies.

In support of the Division of International Affairs’ strategic vision to create and establish new agreements with foreign universities or institutions, faculty and/or administrators can complete and submit a Sister School Agreement Proposal Form to lozano@uiwtx.edu.

This form sets out details of the proposed bilateral agreement including parties, scope of proposed collaborative activities and benefits to UIW. The form will require review and approval by the Division of International Affairs and relevant academic and administrative leadership.

You must complete all sections of the Sister School Agreement Proposal Form to be eligible for review by the Division. Approval is not guaranteed for all submissions, and proposals may be returned with feedback.

Types of Agreements

Previously identified as a ‘straight-exchange’ agreement, a bilateral agreement with a foreign university is a written contract for purposes of providing an international experiential opportunity for students, scholars and staff. The parties included in this type of agreement do not exchange funding for proposed activities, including student and faculty exchange. This type of agreement allows students to maximize their UIW sponsored aid during study abroad experiences.

This type of agreement, commonly referred to as a 2+2 or 1+1 agreement, provides a seamless path for students to achieve their double degree in a bachelor’s or master’s program with UIW. Students that take advantage of this pathway will enroll in classes at their home institution for the duration of 1-2 years, as stated in the agreement, and culminate their degree at UIW.

An affiliation agreement is a contract between UIW and an external entity, typically a study abroad provider (e.g., CEPA - Customized Educational Programs Abroad), for purposes of providing an academic, credit-bearing educational opportunity or experience for students.

A multilateral agreement is a written contract between three or more institutions and/or entities for purposes of providing international experiential opportunities for students.

The Division of International Affairs welcomes faculty and administrators to submit modifications for new activities, an increase in student balance in their field of study, or proposals for amendments to existing agreements. As Sister School agreements age with time, some agreements with significant activity may need to be renewed to continue or resume existing exchange activities or modified to increase access to exchange activities.

All UIW contracts and agreements not prepared with a pre-approved template may be subject to review by legal counsel prior to execution. Additional academic leadership, such as the Provost or Office of Research and Graduate Studies, may be required to sign affiliation, articulation and multilateral agreements.

Steps to Propose a Sister School Agreement

  1. Submit the Sister School Agreement Proposal Form to the Director of International Affairs, Dr. Javier Lozano at lozano@uiwtx.edu.
  2. The Director of International Affairs will assess the proposal to determine academic, cultural, linguistic and institutional fit. Approval is not guaranteed for all submissions, and proposals may be returned with feedback. The Division of International Affairs reserves the right to review proposals on a first-come-first-serve basis. Contingent upon the number of submissions received at a given time, turn-around time may vary.
  3. The Director of International Affairs will present the proposal to the Vice President for International Affairs for final review and approval.
  4. The Director of International Affairs will prepare the agreement draft utilizing UIW’s approved agreement template.
  5. The Director of International Affairs will share the agreement draft with partner institution representatives for review.
  6. After incorporating approved modifications to the agreement draft, the Director of International Affairs will prepare the final agreement and obtain signatures from the Vice President for International Affairs and relevant academic leadership, if needed.
  7. The signed, digital copy of the agreement will be sent via email or Adobe Sign to the proposed partner institution for signature(s). Please note, the signatory process may be delayed due to processing times of institutions and courier services.
  8. Upon receipt of the digital copies, the submitting faculty and/or administrator will be notified via email.