Global Footprint & MOUs

PURPOSE OF ESTABLISHING AN INTERNATIONAL (MOU)

Establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with an international institution serves several purposes and offers various benefits such as fostering global collaboration, knowledge/resource sharing, student mobility, faculty development, etc. In alignment with the AU and the College of Agriculture’s strategic plans, it is important to distinguish and select our strategic partners/regions. According to Dr. Andrew Gillespie, Assistant Provost of the Office of International Programs at AU, the Provost’s Office is pursuing an enhanced research focus within forthcoming MOUs, coupled with an emphasis on elevating the average global rankings of our international partners. Based on the guidance, the College of Agriculture Office of Global Programs (OGP) will consider the global ranking of potential partner institutions or the presence of a strong College or Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at the partner institution. When AU students are involved, the college will assess the ease of travel and the safety of the country/city to ensure a safe and secure environment for our students’ and faculty’s academic engagement.

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

The college would like to reassure you that you are NOT required to have an MOU to engage in individual international research collaborations, recruit international students, or host temporary international visitors. You are encouraged to proceed with these internationalization activities. Please feel free to continue fostering global partnerships, attracting international students, and hosting visiting scholars/professors to enhance diversity and enrich the academic environment. If you have any further questions or need assistance from the college, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Kelly Pippin at kzp0025@auburn.edu. 

PROCESS

Please communicate your ideas with Kelly Pippin (kzp0025@auburn.edu) by providing the following information. The ideas or proposals will be thoroughly reviewed by the associate deans for recommendation to the Dean.

• Proposed Partner Institution information:
  • Name, Country.
  • Partner Institution point of contact: name, email, phone number.
  • Global rankings, agricultural sciences rankings, national/regional rankings, strength, etc.
• Briefly describe the proposed agreement: your experience with the proposed institution; reasons/purpose of why AU or the proposed institution wants to establish an international MOU.
• Benefits: anticipated benefits for our COA faculty, students, and the broader AU academic community.
• Activities: potential collaborative activities, programs, or initiatives. If a study abroad program is being considered, please briefly describe the partner’s hosting capacity, e.g., housing support, ground staff support, etc.
• Identify others: Who (an individual or a department) else from the college/university might be benefiting from this collaboration? For example, if the proposed institution has a strong environmental science program or research profile, you may want to identify faculty from the College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environmental Sciences. Similar cases can be applied to the College of Veterinary Medicine. Please keep in mind that AU prefers strategic and broad collaborative partnerships instead of if the partnership is attached to only one faculty.

Please compile the answers to the following questions in a Word document and return it to Kelly Pippin at kzp0025@auburn.edu. 

TIMELINE

• Ideas can be communicated with Kelly Pippin at any time of the year.
• Associate Deans review/investigation period: 1-2 weeks
• Dean’s approval: 1-2 weeks

Following approval by the Dean, the proposal will undergo a three-phase review and approval process by the international committee at Auburn University. Kelly Pippin will work with AU on this part.

FACULTY LIAISON RESPONSIBILITIES

The faculty members initiating the proposal will assume the role of the primary liaison for this partnership and will undertake the following commitments with support from the college: 

• Support for proposed activities and programs: Throughout the duration of the agreement (5 years), the faculty members will provide support to the projects and programs outlined in the agreement, including but not limited to, hosting visiting scholars/interns, workshops, leadership visits, developing exchange programs for COA students, cultivating international collaboration, and assisting graduate students’ recruitment with partner institutions. 
• Drafting of annual international activity report: The proposing faculty will take on the responsibility of drafting an annual international activity report. This report will capture the progress, achievements, challenges, and outcomes of the collaborative initiatives, serving as a valuable record of the advancement of our partnership.

Thank you for your dedication to enhancing our international collaborations. We look forward to receiving your proposals and working together to shape a vibrant global academic community.