International Agreements
The University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW–Madison) supports the international engagement of our faculty, staff and students, whose diverse research, teaching, learning, and service activities extend beyond the boundaries of our campus to influence people’s lives around the world. Recognizing that international collaborators often require an agreement to formalize a partnership before collaborations can proceed, the International Division is ready to work closely with faculty and staff to develop and fully execute international agreements.
Any UW–Madison faculty or staff may initiate an international agreement. Foreign partners and UW–Madison students must find a UW–Madison faculty or staff member who is willing to engage in or support an international collaboration; requests coming directly from another institution will not advance.
Only a few people on campus have authority to sign international agreements on behalf of UW–Madison. Primary delegated signatory authority is held by the Vice Provost and Dean, International Division. Depending on circumstances, the Chancellor, the Provost, the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, or the Associate Vice Chancellor for Business Services and Controller will sign. Other school or college leadership often sign in support.
The International Division is responsible for ensuring international agreements generate mutual benefit, set realistic expectations, manage risks, adhere to campus, state, and federal policies, and are signed by someone with authority to sign on behalf of UW–Madison.
UW–Madison policy on international agreements
A university policy on international agreements has been established, which applies to faculty and staff at UW–Madison seeking to establish, materially amend, renew, or terminate international academic or research agreements.
This policy does not apply to individual travel arrangements, routine purchasing transactions governed by university procurement policies, individual employment or immigration documents, individual outside activities, or other activities that do not purport to establish an institutional relationship or commitment on behalf of UW–Madison.
Enhanced review process for international collaborations
UW–Madison routinely reviews international collaborations to ensure each one generates mutual benefit, operates with shared expectations, manages risks, and adheres to campus, state, and federal policies.
All new and existing partnerships must be in alignment with the rapidly evolving federal regulatory space and updated U.S. policies on heightened compliance or export control risk.
UW–Madison takes its compliance obligations seriously. Therefore, research partnerships and student exchange agreements must comply with federal rules and regulations.
To faculty and staff planning to initiate new partnerships in 2026, the process for review has been updated. Please follow the additional guidance below:
- Route international agreements per the protocols described.
- Ensure that the proposal includes a substantive rationale for the agreement.
- Allow an additional 4-6 weeks for review.
- For questions relating to the development of international agreements or enhanced review, contact International Strategy & Partnerships at agreements@international.wisc.edu.
- If an agreement is research-based, faculty and staff should work with their local research administrator.
UW–Madison values the formal partnerships that it has created with institutions around the world and remains committed to international collaboration, within the bounds of applicable law.
Updated on February 11, 2026
About International Agreements
International agreements facilitated by the International Division involve at least one entity such as a university, organization, company or government outside the U.S. and are typically non-monetary. Agreements and contracts with non-U.S. entities that involve funding are the primary responsibility of Research and Sponsored Programs and Business Services, but the International Division helps facilitate as necessary. If you need an agreement supporting international collaboration, but are not sure which type of international agreement you need, please contact agreements@international.wisc.edu.
Common international agreement types include:
- Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – A document expressing shared interests and intent to explore future collaboration toward a common goal.
- Implementation Agreement – An agreement detailing resource commitments, contact people, and relevant terms (e.g. intellectual property) for a known activity.
- Collaborative Academic Agreement – An agreement regarding academic programs (e.g. Dual Degrees or 3+1+1 programs).
- Exchange Agreement – An agreement facilitating bilateral student mobility for academic credit.
- International Affiliation Agreement – An agreement enabling students to have learning experiences at non-US clinical facilities, e.g. clinical health rotations for medical or pharmacy students.
- Internship Agreement – An agreement enabling UW–Madison students to have work experiences abroad or for UW–Madison faculty and staff to host interns on campus.
Common agreement terms include:
- Purpose of collaboration
- Formal, legal names of partnering entities
- Responsibilities of each party
- Date of signatures
- Duration (date the agreement will be in effect and expire) UW–Madison does not sign auto-renewing or indefinite international agreements.
- Termination (conditions under which a party may end the agreement early)
- Modification (conditions under which a party may modify the original terms of the agreement)
Developing an International Agreement
In general, faculty and staff who need an international agreement must fulfill the following:
- Inform and receive endorsement from Department Chair and School/College Dean.
- Complete an International Agreement Proposal Form via the Wisconsin Directory of Global Engagement (WiDGE) Faculty & Staff Portal.
- Serve as primary contact with partners, including:
- Sharing UW–Madison-approved draft international agreement with foreign partner once the International Division has provided it;
- Communicating partner feedback to the International Division until all parties approve a final version of the international agreement; and
- Seeking partner’s authorized signature(s).
- Ensure that UW–Madison receives a fully executed version for campus files.
The process for developing an agreement varies because each international agreement tends to be unique, but it typically includes initiating, drafting, seeking review/approval, facilitating signatures, and recording international agreements.
First, the proposing faculty or staff seeks endorsement from their Department Chair for the prospective partnership. Then, the proposing faculty or staff contacts International Strategy & Partnerships to initiate the development of their agreement. This is done via the Wisconsin Directory of Global Engagement (WiDGE) Faculty & Staff Portal.
- Log into the WiDGE Portal using your NetID.
- Submit an agreement proposal via the International Agreement Proposal Form.
- You may save your progress and return to the International Agreement Proposal Form via the same link above.
- After submission of the form, the International Strategy & Partnerships team will reach out to you to continue the drafting process.
The International Division’s International Strategy & Partnerships team and the Office of Legal Affairs review and approve every international agreement before anyone from UW–Madison signs.
International Strategy & Partnerships works with the proposing faculty and staff as well as relevant campus partners to develop a draft, seek Office of Legal Affairs’ review, shares the proposed agreement with other offices that the agreement might be involve, and return a UW–Madison-approved draft with guidance on implementation to the proposing faculty or staff.
The proposing faculty or staff shares the UW-approved draft with the prospective partner and asks for their feedback (using track changes), institutional logo (if desired), and names/titles of signatories.
Repeat steps above until UW–Madison and the foreign partner agree on a final version of the agreement.
Note: UW–Madison does not sign auto-renewing or indefinite international agreements.
Only a few people on campus have authority to sign agreements with non-U.S. institutions on behalf of UW–Madison. The International Strategy & Partnerships team coordinates with the relevant School, College, or unit, and consults with the Office of Legal Affairs as needed, to identify the appropriate institutional signatory under applicable signature authority guidance.
Deans of proposing units should review and approve agreements before someone with signatory authority signs. If a Dean denies an agreement, it will not move forward for signatures. If a Dean approves an agreement, the Dean can elect to co-sign or not (e.g. due to timing/logistics). If a Dean elects not to sign, the International Division stills needs written approval (e.g. email or signed cover letter).
Once UW–Madison and the foreign partner agree on a final version of the agreement, proposing faculty and staff should ask partners to sign first, then seek any school/college signatures, and return all partially signed documents to International Strategy & Partnerships, who will seek the final signature and stamp from the relevant person authorized to sign on behalf of UW–Madison.
Note: UW–Madison does not sign auto-renewing or indefinite international agreements.
It is UW–Madison’s preference that the partner signs first, International Strategy & Partnerships will retain an original hardcopy for campus and return the remaining original hardcopies to the proposing faculty or staff to send to the partner. If UW–Madison signs first (not preferred), the proposing faculty or staff will send the UW-signed documents to the partner for signatures and is responsible for obtaining a fully executed original hardcopy for campus files.
International Strategy & Partnerships will create and share an electronic version of the fully executed agreement with the proposing faculty or staff.
Proposing faculty and staff should contact International Strategy & Partnerships to discuss modifying, terminating, or renewing an agreement as well as to share the outcomes of the collaboration.
Contact
For questions relating to the development of international agreements, contact International Strategy & Partnerships at agreements@international.wisc.edu.