Introduction
As it advances towards a global standing, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University seeks to build bridges with leading universities and research centres, particularly those able to offer it added value. This cooperation takes two routes: general memoranda of understanding, and specific service contracts.
Memoranda of Understanding
These are drafted as a general framework of formal articles and concluded between one university and another to establish wider cooperation, organised later through specific service contracts. They commonly cover:
- Defining the scope of the understanding, broad as it remains.
- Exchange of visits, expertise and services, and of research resources and academic publishing.
- Exchange of faculty members and postgraduate students, and admission for the University’s scholarship holders among teaching assistants and lecturers.
- Encouraging the colleges and centres of both parties to conclude more detailed agreements, and cooperating in conferences, workshops and academic programmes.
- Setting the legal and time provisions of the memorandum.
Service Contracts
A service contract is a specific agreement between one programme and another, one research centre and another, or one college and another. It begins by identifying the actual need, then selecting the international partner able to meet it.
The Project Document
Each need is framed as a project with a document setting out: the project name and objectives, a specific implementation plan, the timeframe and starting point, the project team from both parties, the expected outputs, and the budget.
Contract and Visit Provisions
The contract sets the implementation plan and the legal provisions safeguarding the rights of both parties, such as intellectual property and the competent courts in each country. It may also cover training, consultancy and visits with a clear purpose and cost; for visits it specifies their number and the number of visitors, the purpose and detailed programme of each visit, and the costs of the visiting member, air and local travel, accommodation and hospitality.
