The Secret Sauce to International Collaboration within Higher Education (HEIs)

“Why did the university sign an MOU with a local restaurant? To promote collaboration between the culinary arts and chemistry departments!”

Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) are excellent and important tools for governing collaborative activities with international partners. They should govern a concrete activity with a partner and clarify who does what, when, for how long, who pays and how much. For some time, metrics on the number of MOUs were enough to show internationalization but that view has changed. Internationalization strategy of world-class universities needs to make a switch into international strategic partnerships producing cooperation and advancing international agendas for all stakeholders.

While MOUs are very important, following through on next steps in cooperation benefits students, faculty, research and even administrative programs. It is not enough to just sign an MOU and let it sit on the shelf. The real value comes from the implementation of the MOU and the resulting collaboration.

Collaboration between universities can lead to many benefits such as sharing knowledge and resources, creating new opportunities for students and faculty members, and advancing research in various fields. It can also help universities to expand their reach and influence globally.

In conclusion, MOUs are an essential part of internationalization strategy for world-class universities. However, it is important to follow through on next steps in cooperation to reap the benefits of collaboration. By doing so, universities can create new opportunities for students and faculty members while advancing research in various fields.