On alliances — MoU and MoA

GLOBALIZATION has brought with it reactions from academe, popularly referred to as internationalization. This brought along various forms of internationalization. Transnational education (TNE) is one modus. TNE is education delivered in a country other than the country in which the awarding institution is based. It can be delivered through distance learning, to partnerships with another organization or through an institution's own campus in another country.(https://www.qaa.ac.uk/.../types-of-review/transnational-education) Such networking calls for formalities. These are written in two forms referred to as a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA). Let us clarify what the differences are between the two.

Establishing partnerships with offshore institutions. As Philippine universities keep expanding relationships with offshore universities and/or with industry, they learn lessons from such experience especially on forging documents such as MoU and MoA. When formalized, such agreements guide these universities in specifying the terms of reference that go into such linkages. Universities pursuing such linkages should involve not only their respective academic departments (schools, institutes, colleges) but also Finance, the Human Resource, the Continuing Professional Development, the Student Affairs, the Alumni, Security, etc. These departments also have important roles and hence should be in consultations whilst planning such partnerships/collaborations. To fully take off their plans for internationalization, universities, especially provincial institutions who are new to such alliances, should organize a formal and stable office on internationalization appropriately defining to which department it reports to, and giving the necessary staff and funds support. There also should be staff training such as on diplomatic protocols for the said office to properly support internationalization efforts. Since it is likely the internationalization office would deal with foreign embassies besides foreign organizations, understanding and applying basic diplomatic protocol is necessary. This involves etiquette on a local and international scale, and the practice of good manners. "It provides a set of rules, procedures, conventions and ceremonies that involve relations between countries. Protocols represent the recognized and generally accepted system of international courtesy." (Diplomatic Protocol and Etiquette online course - Diplo (diplo macy.edu))