Developing a partnership

Université Laval has partnerships with hundreds of organizations worldwide, so it’s essential to check whether a partnership is already in place before taking steps to create a new one. To do so, consult the directory of agreements and partnerships.

Some international activities don’t require a formal agreement, e.g., collaborating individually, sharing data, attending seminars, and hosting visiting faculty for short periods, among others.

Types of partnerships

Framework agreement

• General agreement signed by institutional leaders and binding the University and its partners  
• Provides a framework for an active partnership under which collaborative activities take place
• Signals institutional commitment and intent
• Term of three to five years, renewable if the level of activity so justifies
• May be tied to specific agreements in cases where financial, material, or intellectual resources are committed  
• Cannot involve student mobility, which must be the subject of a special agreement 

Scientific cooperation agreement

• Designed to formalize research ties in a specific field
• Defines guidelines for collaboration: sharing of research results, exchanges of interns and researchers, sharing of financial and material resources
• May include specific provisions on intellectual property

Student mobility agreement 

• Commitment between two institutions marked by privileged relationships and training projects, courses or internships, deemed equivalent.

Before engaging in discussions with potential international partners, consult with the International office advisors who can help you document the following elements :

• Diagnosis of student mobility in your program 
• Best practices in student mobility
• The most suitable mobility program (International Profile, internship protocol, etc.) 
• Mobility funding and scholarships for the programs offered
• Whether existing agreements are being used to their full potential
• How the proposed partnership will add value for the program and for a majority of students in the program
• Be sure to secure program committee approvals where necessary.

Questions? Write to ententes@bi.ulaval.ca.

If no agreement exists with the institution you wish to work with, follow the procedure below to submit your proposed agreement to the International Office:

• Complete the opportunity assessment questionnaire and have it signed by the dean or vice-dean of your faculty.
• Submit the form to the International Office at ententes@bi.ulaval.ca.

The International Office will review your project and inform you of its recommendations.

If the proposed agreement is deemed worth pursuing, the International Office will work with the project sponsor and other University bodies to draft an agreement in keeping with the needs expressed. The following bodies must approve the draft agreement before it can be submitted to the University leadership for signing:

• Depending of the agreement type, director of the project's home unit (program, department or research unit)
• The dean or vice-dean of the home faculty
• The competent partner institution authorities
• The International Office 

For more information on developing new agreements, write to ententes@bi.ulaval.ca.

The International Office has tools and resources for monitoring international partnerships. At the end of the agreement's term, the people in charge of the partnership may request renewal, which may be granted based on the following:

• In the case of student mobility, quality and quantity of exchanges (issues raised about the term of the agreement, capacity of the program to receive, ratio of incoming and outgoing students, etc.)
• Results achieved in the case of a framework agreement

To this end, they must make a formal request to the International Office. This request must include a summary report of the results.

For more information on agreement renewals, write to ententes@bi.ulaval.ca.