RISK AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR EDUCATION ABROAD PROGRAMMES
THE CARIBBEAN PERSPECTIVE
MEMORANDA OF UNDERSTANDING AND OTHER SPECIFIC
AGREEMENTS
Introduction
This paper contains an examination of the use of Memoranda of Understanding and
Cooperative Agreements in the higher education setting. These documents have been
used in business arrangements for a long time to set the parameters and regulate the
relationships between parties for specific purposes. In Education abroad activities they
facilitate the movement of students, staff and ideas through teaching and research
programmes and cultural exchanges.
Globalisation and the post 9 –11 occurrences has added new impetus to Education
Abroad as 1st world governments and some non-governmental organizations, particularly
the US, has given active encouragement to these activities through the provision of more
funding and scholarships. Many organizations dedicated to the exchange of ideas and
resources in education have accelerated their activities in the new environment, making
education look more like an industry than a service activity.
Memoranda of Understanding
These are documents widely used in business arrangements and are used in every aspect
of Higher Education. They are devised in many formats and provide a medium through
which organizations express their intentions to cooperate and share information and
resources. Typically they:
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Express the intentions of the parties to cooperate
Record information an basic agreements amongst parties
Set out the framework for detailed agreement
Lists broad areas of understanding: objectives, strategies mechanisms, benefits.
Set the groundwork for cooperation
Cooperative Agreements
Cooperative agreements serve the purpose of operationalising the intentions of the parties
as expressed in Memoranda of Understanding and Letters of Intent. They have the
following characteristics:
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Regulate relationships amongst parties
Detail specific elements of an agreements ( eg. joint research, student exchange)
Lists terms and conditions
Set out the responsibilities of stakeholders.
The objectives behind entering into Cooperative Agreements are:
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To enhance Staff Development opportunities
To promote Research
To broaden knowledge & experiences
To promote & enhance cultural and educational ties
Generally to enhance Education Abroad activities
Education Abroad: What do we Mean?
Education Abroad relates to a set of activities which tend to take participants away from
their immediate environment. This is achieved through structured visits to other countries
and different cultures, to promote a better utilization of their own resources through
cooperation. The objectives behind Education Abroad could therefore be set out as
follows:
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Learning in a different environment
Broadening the horizons of participants
Add new life experiences
Share knowledge and culture
Globalisation and the post 9-11 occurrences have seen new emphasis being placed on
Education Abroad activities. Countries in the North, particularly the United States, have
recognized the lack of crucial global skills amongst its population which have implication
for its future leaders. Simply put there is an inward looking approach to the world
amongst the population. It was also realized that the required skills could not be obtained
only from formal education, but through study visits, seminars etc. These activities would
assist in forging new relationships and building better understanding of other cultures
giving interactive insights into how different societies work.
As a result Education Abroad has been given new impetus and encouragement through
the offer of additional scholarships and funding. Organizations dedicated to exchanges in
higher education such as NAFSA (Association of International Educators) and AIEA
(The Association of International Education Administrators), have actually contributed to
building an industry around such activities through the organization of conferences,
seminars, distribution of memorabilia, exhibitions, cruises etc.
Education Abroad: The Nuts and Bolts
The modus operandi used in Education Abroad programmes vary according to the need
of the particular organization. These range from reciprocal student exchanges to pursue
courses and programmes to the payment of fees for all or some of the associated
activities. The basics however revolve around the following
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Exchange of students and staff
Reciprocal student Exchanges
Arrangements involving the payment of fees for some services
Other arrangements in which parties swap services
There are therefore very many scenarios which make up the Education Abroad patchwork
comprising of a very diverse set of activities. Some of these are as follows:
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Students pursuing host courses at the host institution
Students pursuing home courses at the host institution.
Staff teaching home courses at the host institution and vice versa.
Development of tailored courses for visiting students
Credit for courses or audit of courses.
Study visit to historic and cultural sites.
The UWI Approach to Education Abroad
Over the years the Campuses and Faculties of the UWI entered into agreements on their
own authority which did not allow for the development of uniformity. In the 1990’s
however the UWI established the Office of Administration and Special Initiatives
(OASIs) in an effort to streamline its approach to Education Abroad, and subsequently
adopted a set of policy guidelines aimed at facilitating its smooth development on the
three campuses. This approach can be broadly categorized into a procedural framework
and a structural framework.
The procedures developed are set out in a small booklet entitled Education Abroad
Programmes: A policy statement. Below are listed some of the major elements of the
policy adopted by the UWI.
(a) Procedural Framework
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Proposals initiated at University, Campus or Faculty level
International Office to provide general administration
Approval of agreements to be signed by the VC
Develop specifics and detail in Coop Agreement
Rules for collaborative research
Guidelines for Education Abroad: (Home and Host students)
Guidelines for Groups and Summer School
(b) Structural Framework
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Centre Office: OASIs
International Offices on each campus
Campus Co-ordinator
Faculty Programme Coordinator - Link with Faculty/Units
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The first concise policy statement was issued in 1992 and the current refined structure
emerged in 2003. During this time there was a lot of discussion and activity on the
Campuses as Education Abroad gained impetus. Even at this stage all campuses have not
yet fully implemented the agreed structure. This will have implications for the success
and efficient management of the various processes.
Suggestions for Diversifying the use of Memoranda and other Agreements.
Memoranda of Understanding and other Agreements are in fact only the means to satisfy
some specific ends. How these documents are use and implemented will be the
significant determining success factor. The issues of ‘whose risks and where does the
responsibility lie’ would be clarified to the extent that they are adequately addressed in
the agreement between the parties. In addition further diversification could be achieved
and better results obtained if the following are considered when constructing agreements
for Education Abroad programmes:
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Adopt best practices in the development of programmes in order to minimize risks
Ensure that the responsibilities of the parties set out in detail
Seek to establish links with international organisation with similar goals
Marshall resources through linkages with local/ regional organisations:
ecological, historical, tourism etc
Plan to have a mix of Exchange and Fee paying students in Education abroad
programmes.
Recognise the importance of the economic advantages to be gained (Study
Abroad contributed approx $12.87 billion to US economy in 2003-2004. NAFSA)
Adopt a more aggressive marketing approach
Develop programmes relevant to the international market and therefore seek to
create ‘niche programmes’
Use flexibility in the forging new relationships
Examine new markets, Diaspora etc.
Conclusion
It should be realized that Memoranda of Understanding and Cooperative agreements are
the main originating documents with respect to Education Abroad programmes and to
this extent, they offer the best opportunities for change and achieving meaningful results.
Many of the known risks could be avoided if these documents were carefully developed
and greater attention paid to their implementation. Caribbean countries could realize
more benefits from Education Abroad if more attention was given to the enormous
economic potential offered through combining the educational with the historic, cultural
and natural environment.
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