This Is Auburn Office of International Programs Service to the World
Initiating an International Agreement at Auburn University

Agreements between Auburn University, its employees and international university, NGO, government and corporate partners create vital opportunities for academic, research, outreach and operational engagement. All Auburn partnerships should be guided by the university and college/unit strategic plans with an outcomes-focused approach and are subject to the International Agreement Policy.

Agreement initiation flow chart. Phase 1: Explore -Idea approved by dean/unit head, then university, then permission granted to negotiate.  Phase 2: Draft -Negotiate with partner, Develop agreement draft, Draft approved by dean/unit head, then university. Phase 3: Sign and Archive -President/relevant authority signature, Partner signature, Fully executed agreement archived.

Phase 1: Explore



Agreement Proposal


  • The agreement initiator should consult their supervisor about the proposed partnership before any formal negotiations take place with the proposed partner. The proposal should then follow the college or unit’s approval process, which should culminate in approval by the dean or unit head.
  • The dean or unit head (or their designee) should submit the proposed partnership for university approval using the agreement proposal form. Submissions will only be accepted from deans/unit heads or their designees.
  • The proposal will be evaluated for security, privacy, legal compliance, academic requirements, intellectual property requirements and immigration requirements.
  • If the proposal is approved, the dean or unit head will be granted permission to immediately begin negotiations with the partner. Negotiations should not take place prior to approval.

Phase 2: Draft



  • With approval secured, the agreement initiator may begin negotiations with the proposed partner on a formal agreement. Agreement templates are available from the Office of International Programs and will be provided upon approval of the proposal.
  • Once an agreement document has been drafted between the agreement initiator and the partner, the dean or unit head should approve the document and submit it to intlagree@auburn.edu .
  • The agreement document will be evaluated for security, privacy, legal compliance, academic requirements, intellectual property requirements and immigration requirements.
  • If the agreement document is approved, it will be automatically forwarded to the president (or relevant university authority) for signature.

Templates:

Phase 3: Sign and Archive



  • The president or relevant university authority will sign the agreement. Agreements are only considered valid Auburn University agreements if signed at the university level through this process.
  • Two copies of the signed agreement will be sent to the contact listed in the agreement approval form.***
  • Once the fully executed copy is received from the partner, the agreement will be archived in the international agreements database and a copy provided to the college/unit.

***During remote operations resulting from COVID-19, agreements will be signed electronically by the president. An electronic version will be provided to the college/unit to forward to the partner for electronic signature because the partner is more likely to recognize e-mails from their counterparts. Once received by the college/unit, the fully executed electronic agreement should be forwarded to intlagree@auburn.edu.

Last Updated: December 07, 2023