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INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION INSTRUMENTS
UFBA, through the International Affairs Office, aims to establish academic links in the areas of teaching, research and extension with international organizations and institutions, in line with the guidelines set out in UFBA's Institutional Development Plan.
The main international cooperation instruments, bilateral or multilateral, signed between the Federal University of Bahia and foreign agencies, institutions and entities, are the following:
1. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
2. International Cooperation Agreement (ICA)
2.1. How to draft and formalize an International Cooperation Agreement
2.2. International Cooperation Agreement Templates
2.3. Processing an International Cooperation Agreement
2.4. Sandwich Doctoral Program Abroad (SDPA)
2.5. Cotutelle Program
2.5.1. What is Cotutelle?
2.5.2. Cotutelle Templates
3. Specific Cooperation Agreement
4. Addendum to an International Cooperation Agreement
4.1. How to prepare and formalize an Addendum to an International Cooperation Agreement
4.2. Processing the Addendum to an International Cooperation Agreement
4.3. Addendum Templates
5. International Cooperation Agreement
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a preliminary instrument, of a political nature, that demonstrates the good faith of the parties in their aspirations for future partnership, used to define lines of action and general commitments of cooperation between the university and international institutions, demonstrating the mutual interest in developing joint activities.
The instrument is intended to record comprehensive principles that will guide relations between the institutions involved.
It is established that as a result of the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, the parties will be able to sign, at a future opportunity, one or more International Cooperation Agreement(s).
Legal base
International Acts – Brazilian Diplomatic Practice – Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE); PO-664/2021.
Law No. 13,204/15 regulated by Federal Decree No. 8,726/16.
What is an International Cooperation Agreement?
The International Cooperation Agreement is an instrument that supports and enables academic partnerships with foreign institutions, which can be bilateral or multilateral. In compliance with Brazilian legislation, and in line with international legislation, regarding international treaties, the validity of agreements, with exceptions, is five years, and may be renewed when in the interest of the contracting parties.
The establishment of an agreement arises from the interest of an institute, unit, department, program, research group and/or researcher, or UFBA sector, and/or from the reciprocal intention of a foreign institution.
How to draft and formalize an International Cooperation Agreement
For a request originating in UFBA, from a unit, graduate program and/or professor:
1. It is recommended that the respective action has previous approval by the deliberation body of the proponent's home unit, for subsequent forwarding to the SRI.
2. Sending a letter to SRI stating your interest and reasons for entering into an Agreement with the Institution. This document must include the name of the person interested in the partnership, as well as the name of the contact or person responsible at the Foreign Institution.
3. The letter must be accompanied by the UFBA Agreement Model (document in Portuguese, for Portuguese-speaking countries, or bilingual model in the respective working language of the partner university, duly completed, detailing the format of the cooperation, data from the foreign institution and other information that may be provided relevant (see models below).
Observations:
Cooperation Agreements proposed by foreign institutions must be previously submitted for consideration by UFBA's International Affairs Office - SRI, accompanied by a translation into Portuguese. After approval by the SRI, the original agreement and its translation will be prepared for processing and signature by the competent authorities, at UFBA and at the requesting institution.
- The translation of the agreement and the necessary documents for its implementation is the sole responsibility of the proponent.
NOTE: in accordance with Brazilian legislation and UFBA's policy, when the agreement involves raising financial resources - local, national and/or abroad - it must be accompanied by a Work Plan.
International Cooperation Agreement Templates
Portuguese
English
French
Spanish
Italian
Processing an International Cooperation Agreement
Once the documentation is received, after analysis and opinion from the SRI, an administrative process is opened, which is sent to the Agreements Sector of UFBA, for approval and subsequent forwarding to the Rector's Office. Finally, the process returns to SRI to be forwarded to the partner university.
At the end of the procedures, the agreement is published on the SRI website.
Sandwich Doctoral Program Abroad (SDPA)
In the SDPA modality, students regularly enrolled in doctoral courses at UFBA can study for up to 6 months at HEIs abroad, with the obligation to return to Brazil after the end of the period, to complete credits and defend the thesis. The selection of scholarship holders will be made by the Postgraduate Programs (PPGs) and the approval of this selection will be made by the Pro-Rector of Graduate Studies.
What is a Cotutelle Agreement?
Cotutelle is the modality of international cooperation whose purpose is to regulate the simultaneous qualification of stricto sensu postgraduate students, doctorate level, by the Federal University of Bahia and by a foreign higher education institution, with no provision for transfer of financial resources between the institutions involved. Students participating in Cotutelle actions will also be governed by the postgraduate legislation and standards of the partner institutions, contained in the Cotutelle Cooperation Agreement (specific for each student) so that titles and diplomas with simultaneous degrees are valid.
Cotutelle Templates
Portuguese
English
French
Spanish
Specific Cooperation Agreement
It is the instrument of interest celebrated between academic units, departments, graduate programs, research groups, among others, at UFBA, aiming to strengthen collaboration in specific areas of academic and/or scientific activity with another university or foreign institution.
The conclusion of a Specific Cooperation Agreement can take place based on an International Academic Cooperation Agreement in force. In this way, the Specific Agreement adds and regulates issues not foreseen in the original agreement. The resulting document must detail the bases of the expected collaboration and the name of the professionals responsible for monitoring activities in the unit at UFBA, and in the unit of the foreign institution.
What is an Addendum to an International Cooperation Agreement?
The Addendum arises from the interest of units, departments, programs, research groups, and others, at UFBA, in closer collaboration in specific areas of academic and/or scientific activity with schools, institutes, departments, and other units, of a foreign university or institution. The signing of an Addendum takes place based on an International Academic Cooperation Agreement in force. In this way, the Addendum adds and regulates issues not foreseen in the Agreement. The bases of the planned collaboration and the name of the coordinators responsible for monitoring activities in the unit at UFBA and in the foreign institution unit must be detailed there.
How to prepare and formalize an Addendum to an International Cooperation Agreement
1. It is recommended that the respective action be previously approved by the deliberation body of the proponent's home unit, for subsequent forwarding to the SRI.
2. Sending to SRI a letter explaining the reasons for concluding an Addendum within the scope of an International Cooperation Agreement in force. This document must include the name of the person responsible for the partnership at UFBA and the name of the contact or person responsible for the unit, department or program of the foreign institution.
3. The letter must be accompanied by the UFBA agreement model (document in Portuguese, for Portuguese-speaking countries, or bilingual model in the respective working language of the partner university) duly completed, detailing the format of the specific cooperation, data of the foreign institution and other information that if applicable (see models below).
Observations:
- The Addendum template must be sent to SRI in two copies from the partner institution, in English and in its native language (or only in English).
- UFBA also enters into Addendums with templates proposed by foreign institutions. To this end, the documents must be previously submitted for consideration by the International Affairs Office, accompanied by a translation into Portuguese. After approval by the SRI, the documents will be prepared for processing and signature by the competent authorities, at UFBA and at the partner institution.
- The translation of the Addendum and the documents which are necessary for its implementation are the sole responsibility of the proponent.
- In compliance with Brazilian legislation and UFBA's policy, when the Addendum involves raising financial resources - local, national and/or abroad - it must be accompanied by a Work Plan and an Addendum Formalization Guide.
Processing the Addendum to an International Cooperation Agreement
The procedures for the Addendum follows the same steps as the Agreement.
Addendum Templates
Portuguese
English
French
Spanish
Italian
International Cooperation Contract
Contract is the legal instrument that celebrates an agreement between the Federal University of Bahia and international institutions, aiming to carry out a project, activity, service, acquisition of goods or event of reciprocal interest, under a regime of mutual cooperation, including transfer of financial resources between the institutions involved.