Proposal FORM for New international TEACHING Agreement
This form must be completed in order to submit a proposal for a new international teaching agreement between Loughborough University (LU) and another institution outside Europe. This form should be completed using the attached Approval Guidance Notes and through discussion with the International Partnerships Manager
A.Proposed Partner
1.Name and full address of institution.
2.Is the proposed partner institution of comparable national and international standing to LU?
3.Does your School/Department (or any other LU School/Department) already have collaborativelinks with the proposed partner institution and, if so, in what capacity? If not, has anyone from the School/Department and/or the University’s International Office visited the proposed partner institution?
4.How will this agreement fit with the strategic objectives of the School and LU? Could this proposed partnership lead to other opportunities for collaboration, e.g. research projects, student/staff exchange, enterprise activities, etc.? Can the School commit the necessary resources to this partnership in the long-term?
B.Proposed Programme of Study
5.In which academic year do you anticipate the agreement commencing and what is the intended duration of the agreement?
6.Please provide full details of the proposed programme of study in section H, including level of study, structure and delivery, assessment arrangements, award to be made, admissions processes, and academic and English language entry requirements.
C.Student Recruitment Potential and Resource Requirements
7.What is the anticipated number of students who will register at LU for this programme each year? What evidence is there to support this (e.g. existing demand for overseas study at the partner university, academic eligibility of students, affordability for students, competitor activity and potential market share for LU)?
8.Have the resource requirements to develop, manage and review the partnership been considered and are they sustainable in the long term? Please include confirmation that the following have been considered: administration and management of the partnership; the number of visits to the partner annually; and marketing and promotional activities.
9.Will scholarships, bursaries or other fee discounts be offered and at what level? What is the rationale behind these?
D.Academic Considerations
10.What are the academic standards of the partner and do they equal those of LU? How has this been measured?
11. Are the degree programmes at the partner comparable to LU’s (programme level, content, learning outcomes and degree award requirements)?
12.What is the language of delivery and can students meet LU’s minimum English language requirements?
13.What impact, if any, will additional students from this partnership have on the student learning experience in your School/Department? Is there capacity to accommodate these students?
E.Review
14.How will you monitor and review the overall academic and financial success of the partnership? What processes will be put in place at Department/School level to measure the student intake against targets and the strategic objectives of the partnership?
F.Contacts
15.Who will be the main contact at LU with responsibility for:
(a)managing the partnership(typically a member of academic staff);
(b)maintaining and operating the agreement (typically a member of administrative staff).
16.Who will be the main contact at the partner university with responsibility for:
(a)managing the partnership(typically a member of academic staff);
(b)maintaining and operating the agreement (typically a member of administrative staff).
(Please provide full contact details.)
When this form has been completed, please ensure that you have attached a copy of the draft agreement and then follow the instructions overleaf with regard to the approval procedure.
Please direct any queries to Claire Atkins, Assistant Registrar, PQTP Office, Academic Registry, email , tel 01509 222241.
G.Approval
17.This section should be completed by the Academic Lead for the partnership for the School in which the agreement will be operated.
Comments from Academic Lead:
Signature and date:
18.This section should be completed by the International Partnerships Manager, International Office, who has been consulted during the preparation of this form.
Comments from International Partnerships Manager:
Signature and date:
19.This section should be completed by the School Dean in which the agreement will be operated. The Dean is required to approve the proposal on behalf of the School’s Senior Management Team and provide written confirmation that the agreement has the full support of the School for the duration of the agreement
Comments from Dean:
Signature and date:
20.When the proposal has been approved by the Dean please forward it to Claire Atkins, PQTP, who will check the draft agreement and refer any queries to the originator before it is progressed any further.
Comments from PQTP:
Signature and date:
21.PQTP will submit the proposal to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching) for approval. The final decision will then be communicated to all relevant parties.
Comments from Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching):
Signature and date:
H.Agreement Details
Type of Partnership Agreement
9 / Type of Partnership Agreement(e.g. 2+2, 3+1+1)
10 / No. of students expected to enter the university in each academic year through this partnership agreement
11 / List all Programmes to which students can articulate
12 / Year of Entry (e.g. Part B of UG Programme),
13 / If advanced entry is anticipated, has the syllabus of the partner institute been approved as appropriate for advanced entry by the School/department
14 / Will students be expected to participate in a work placement, internship or sandwich year?
If yes please give details.
15 / Is Loughborough expected to make the award of a degree or other qualification following successful completion of the programme?e.g. BSc.
Financial Arrangement (see Guidance Notes)
16 / Will scholarships, bursaries or other fee discounts be offered to students linked to this agreement?17 / Please give details of proposed Bursaries
18 / Please give details of proposed Scholarships
19 / Please give the GPA and other criteria for the award of a Scholarship
20 / Will any of the University’s appointed recruitment representatives (agents) by used to assist the students in applying to the University – for which a commission payment is expected?
21 / If Yes - please give details of the University’s representative.
22 / Are there expected to be any other payments to a third party for support in the recruitment of these students e.g. payments to the partner
23 / For programmes lasting more than one year please state whether the scholarship can be renewed
24 / Give the criteria for renewal of scholarship e.g. minimum 65% average in Part B of the programme
Entry Requirements
25 / What qualification are students studying for at the partner institution?e.g. HND, Diploma, Bachelor degree.
26 / Academic criteria to be used in selecting students for this agreement e.g. minimum GPA plus any subject specific requirements
27 / Please confirm that students are expected to meet LU’s normal entry requirements for English language for the programme for which they are seeking entry.
e.g. IELTS 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in each element. This will be higher for some of LU’s programmes. / .
28 / Will students be expected to complete any English language programme as part of this requirement?
Please list the requirements
Approval Guidance Notes
Preliminary Discussions
Before completing an approval form it is advisable to alert the PVC(T) and the International Office to the potential partnership. Consideration should be given to the reputation and standing of the proposed partner and the likelihood of an agreement being successful in terms of progression of students to LU.
Submission of Proposal
Please return completed proposals to Claire Atkins, Programme Quality and Teaching Partnerships (PQTP) (). Forms should be accompanied by evidence of approval from the Dean of School. PQTP will then draw up a draft agreement to be agreed with the School and partner before all documentation is forwarded to the PVC(T) for approval/signing off. The University uses a template of agreed terms for such agreements, amendments and additions can be included with the approval of the PVC(T).
Financial Arrangements
Details of any payments, including fee discounts (scholarships and bursaries) and representative (agent) commission payments that will reduce the net fee received by the University should be included in the proposal form.
Bursaries and Scholarships
Bursaries (as detailed in the agreement) will be automatically awarded to all students who join LUunder the agreement. Scholarshipswill be awarded to outstanding students. The criteria for the award of a scholarship will need to be agreed with the Director of the International Office as part of the approval process. (PQTP will liaise with the International Office over formal approval, but it may be helpful to discuss informally as part of the proposal preparation).
Operations Committee have approved standard bursary and scholarship levels for such agreements of:
20% for students who receive a bursary or 25% for students receiving a scholarship.
Levels above this can only be included in agreements if formally approved by Operations Committee. For advice on formally submitting a case to Operations Committee please contact Kirsty Carter, Planning Office (). Proposals for new agreements should not be submitted until such approval is granted (where they include bursary and scholarship levels above the standard levels above).
Commission Payments
If commission payments to agents are to be included these will normally be at a rate of 10% of the first year of tuition fees paid by the student attending a programme at the University. If 10% commission is paid to an agent the payment of bursaries and scholarships to the students concerned will automatically be reduced by 10%, unless Operations Committee has approved increased levels for the agreement concerned.
Progression requirements
For students spending more than one year at the University, progression criteria is required for the continuation of the award of a Scholarship. Operations Committee have approved a minimum of 65% average in modules for the undergraduate year leading to progression to the next Part of the Programme. Schools can set higher criteria or choose not to continue the award of a scholarship beyond the year of entry. Note that, if the award of the scholarship is discontinued, the student will be entitled to receive a Bursary.
Language of Agreement
All agreements will be drawn up in English. The Academic Registry has no provision for checking the accuracy of versions of agreements in a foreign language and Schools/Departments will have to provide assurance that any foreign-language versions to be signed are true to the original English version.
Signatories
The PVC(T) will be the signatory for LU but it is possible to add the LU Dean’s signature if desired. Please indicate this on the approval form.
Ideally, a signatory of equivalent stature should be provided for the partner institution.
Further Advice
If you have any queries relating to the approval of a Teaching Partnership agreement contact Claire Atkins, PQTP ()
1Revised 27 July 2015