International Partnerships
One of the roles of the Haenicke Institute for Global Education is to provide administrative support for internationalization initiatives driven by the competence and passion of WMU faculty and staff. The University welcomes and supports initiatives to establish contacts and working collaborations between scholars and units at WMU and their international counterparts.
Many international collaborations, such as scholarly visits and research collaborations, do not require a written agreement. However, for academic collaborations such as dual degree programs and student exchange, a formal agreement is typically required. Some common types of formal agreements include:
Memorandum of Understanding: A general, non-binding agreement establishing intent to collaborate. An MOU usually does not specify detailed actions or projects, although it may allude to the development of such plans at a later date. The MOU is typically the precursor to a more detailed activity agreement.
Articulation Agreement: An agreement that WMU will accept certain pre-approved courses transferred from the partner institution so that transferring students may finish their degree at WMU. The curriculum alignment is coordinated through the relevant department, and the tables are appended to the agreement.
Dual Degree: Students study at both the partner institution and WMU with the goal of fulfilling the degree requirements and receiving a degree from both institutions.