Policy 95: International Institutional Partnerships and Collaborative Activities
Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is committed to establishing international partnerships and collaborative activity to build on its established legacy of global engagement in a significant and purposeful manner. TMU recognizes the vital role of faculty and staff in establishing, maintaining, and expanding these relationships. In the pursuit of partnership, TMU is committed to fulfilling the core values of the institution.
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to set out the framework, values and principles, regulations and procedures of international partnerships and collaborative activities in alignment with TMU’s International Plan, Academic Plan, Strategic Research Plan and other relevant institutional strategies, plans and priorities.
2. Application and Scope
2.1. Application:
2.1.1. This policy applies to all senior administrators, faculty, and staff.
2.1.2. This policy applies to the development and implementation of all international partnerships and collaborative activity, including those that require formal agreements.
2.2. The scope of this policy is to:
2.2.1. Determine when an international institutional agreement is required and the framework and approval process for the development of international institutional partnerships.
2.2.2. Provide guidelines and procedures that inform the development and implementation and oversight of all international activity, including those that require formal agreements.
3. Principles and Values
TMU will establish and support international partnerships and collaborative activities at the institutional level that adhere to the University’s priorities, the values stipulated in the Senate Policy Framework, and the following:
3.1. Due Diligence: TMU conducts due diligence and risk assessment to evaluate prospective International Partners, ensuring that their practices and values align with TMU institutional priorities and values.
3.2. Transparency in Agreements: TMU includes specific clauses in its MOUs and agreements that clearly define roles, responsibilities, and expectations of all partners, including the expectation that partner institutions will comply with applicable laws, including human rights laws.
3.3. Collegiality: TMU strives for collegial relationships with International Partners and collaborators that are based on practices of shared leadership and participation, equitable benefits and mutual respect.
4. Definitions
4.1. International Institutional Partners: International Institutional Partners are parties that represent an institution in another country with whom we enter into an International Institutional Agreement, including, but not limited to, universities, non-governmental organizations (NGO), government organizations, and industry partners.
4.2. International Institutional Agreements (IIA): An International Institutional Agreement is a formal document signed by an individual with authority to do so in accordance with TMU's Execution of Contracts Policy.
4.2.1. Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): An MOU is a non-binding IIA between TMU and at least one other International Institutional Partner, that acknowledges an intent to explore potential areas of collaboration and articulates the nature of the relationship. An MOU can be used to foster the principles and values in this policy, including goodwill and future collaboration between TMU and International Partners. It can be a precursor to future Specific Activity Agreements.
4.2.2. Specific Activity Agreement (SAA): A Specific Activity Agreement is a binding IIA with confirmed institutional commitments between TMU and at least one other party that represents an International Institutional Partner.
5. General Regulations
An International Institutional Agreement is required when formal partnership activities are pursued with an International Institutional Partner. This section provides further detail on the nature of the activities that require an International Institutional Agreement.
5.1. An MOU may be required for a variety of reasons, which include, but are not limited to:
5.1.1. The potential for multiple areas of collaboration across the university (e.g. identification by TMU Global as a potential strategic partner).
5.1.2. Broad institutional support for sustained partnership collaboration and exploration (e.g. multiple units across the university have identified interest).
5.1.3. The International Institutional Partner requires formal documentation to proceed with collaborative discussions (i.e. requirement within their institutional policies).
5.1.4. A need to solidify commitment between potential International Institutional Partners for sustained engagement before dedicating human and financial resources to the advancement of partnership activities.
5.1.5. Documenting a formal institutional relationship that may support future funding or grant applications for Scholarly, Research, Creative (SRC) activities, student mobility or advancement purposes.
5.2. An SAA is necessary when an institutional collaboration includes, but is not limited to:
5.2.1. The allocation of resources towards the establishment and implementation of partnership activities.
5.2.2. Coordination of non-SRC project(s)/activity(ies) that require a clear delineation of objectives, responsibilities, restrictions, liability, intellectual property rights, data sharing, and/or coordination of funding where applicable.
5.2.3. Student programming that involves credit transfer outside of the standard Letter of Permission (LOP) process.
5.2.4. The pursuit of joint or third-party funding for non-SRC activities, such as those supporting mobility or capacity-building activities.
6. Roles and Responsibilities
6.1. Requests to initiate an International Institutional Partnership or collaborative activity can be initiated by a senior administrator, faculty or staff member. This individual recommends to TMU the establishment of an International Institutional Agreement outlined in the Procedures, and is responsible for the ongoing relationship management as defined by the International Institutional Agreement.
6.2. Requests to initiate conversations and negotiations with an International Institutional Partner within the priorities of the university, Faculty, or central unit, will need to be approved by the relevant Academic Chair/Director, Dean, or executive leader.
6.3. The authority to approve, terminate or renew international partnerships and associated instruments, rests with individual(s) with authority to enter into a contract on behalf of TMU in accordance with TMU’s Execution of Contracts Policy.
6.4. Under the authority of the Assistant Vice-President, International, TMU Global is responsible for interpreting and ensuring institutional adherence to this policy, and coordinating and ensuring the ongoing maintenance of the Procedures. TMU Global will liaise with International Institutional Partners, all relevant internal stakeholders including the Office of the General Counsel and Board Secretariat (GCBS) to draft appropriate International Institutional Agreements. TMU Global will file and track all International Institutional Agreements per TMU’s Records Management Policy and Records Retention Schedule.
7. Other Applicable Policies and Documents
Records Retention Schedule (RRS)
(PDF file) Strategic Research Plan
PROCEDURES - Policy 95
The purpose of these Procedures is to outline the process for developing, approving, implementing, and monitoring International Institutional Partnerships, ensuring alignment with Toronto Metropolitan University's (TMU) strategic priorities, fostering mutually beneficial collaborations, and promoting accountability and sustainability. TMU Global is responsible for coordinating and ensuring the ongoing maintenance of the following procedures.
1. Initiating International Institutional Partnerships
1.1. Partnership opportunities may be initiated by TMU senior administrators, faculty, or staff members in alignment with strategic priorities and institutional values. International institutional relationships play a crucial role in expanding international opportunities for students, who are key beneficiaries of global engagement and partnerships.
1.2. The initiator must identify the partnership opportunity and consult with TMU Global by completing the International Activity Agreement Proposal Form.
1.3. The initiator is responsible for securing support from the relevant Academic Chair/Director, Dean or executive leader before proceeding further.
1.4. The initiator must establish clear expectations and goals for the partnership, outlining measurable outcomes or benchmarks that will be used to assess the partnership’s effectiveness over time. These expectations will serve as a foundation for evaluating the partnership’s success and will be shared with TMU Global for monitoring and review.
1.5. TMU Global will evaluate the potential partner to determine their suitability and alignment with TMU’s institutional priorities and strategic objectives.
2. Drafting and Approving International Activity Agreements
2.1. TMU Global will initiate discussions with the partner institution(s) to confirm the scope of the partnership and determine the most appropriate type of International Activity Agreement (IIA) to formalize the collaboration, such as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Specific Activity Agreement (SAA).
2.2. TMU Global will prepare the IIA using templates approved by GCBS, where possible, and ensure it includes all key terms and conditions of partnership and activities to be carried out, including but not limited to:
2.2.1. A description of the collaboration with objectives and/or an outline of specific activities and relevance to mandates and priorities of all parties.
2.2.2. Roles and responsibilities of TMU and the international Institutional Partner(s).
2.2.3. Resource input from TMU and the international Institutional Partner(s).
2.2.4. Provisions for monitoring, renewal, and termination of the partnership and associated instruments.
2.3. TMU Global will facilitate the negotiation and finalization of the IIA, coordinating communication between GCBS, the international Institutional Partner’s legal team, and all relevant stakeholders. This process will ensure that the IIA reflects the objectives and expectations of both parties.
2.3.1. The draft of the IIA will be reviewed by TMU’s General Counsel and Board Secretariat (GCBS), who will provide feedback within a reasonable time frame based on the urgency and complexity of the request.
2.3.2. TMU Global will share the review with the international Institutional Partner’s legal team for further review and feedback, ensuring mutual understanding and compliance with all parties' policies.
2.4. TMU Global will initiate the standard University procedures as laid out in the Execution of Contracts Policy for obtaining authorized signature(s) on an IIA once it has been reviewed and approved by GCBS, all relevant internal parties, and the International Institutional Partner(s).
2.5. TMU Global will share a digital copy of the fully executed IIA with the initiator and all other relevant internal parties.
3. Implementing Partnerships
3.1. The initiator is responsible for managing day-to-day interactions and activities with the international partner, ensuring compliance with the IIA’s goals and benchmarks.
4. Monitoring and Reviewing International Activity Agreements
4.1. TMU Global will actively monitor the progress of all active IIAs, maintaining regular communication with the initiator and the international partner to ensure adherence to the terms and objectives of the IIA.
4.2. TMU Global will provide an annual update to each Faculty, summarizing the status of active IIAs and highlighting any IIAs nearing expiration or requiring attention.
4.3. At the midpoint of an International Institutional Agreement and six months before it is set to expire, TMU Global will connect with the initiator to assess the performance of the partnership. This assessment will focus on:
4.3.1. The extent to which the partnership is achieving its stated goals and objectives.
4.3.2. Continued relevance and alignment with TMU’s strategic priorities.
4.3.3. The effectiveness of collaboration, including any challenges or barriers encountered. Any proposed adjustments to improve outcomes or address emerging opportunities.
4.3.4. Success in achieving expected outcomes and goals as outlined at the start of the partnership.
4.4. TMU Global will document the findings of the review outlined in 4.3, including an assessment of whether the partnership has met its established objectives and any recommendations for renewal, modification or termination. This documentation will be submitted to the relevant Dean, unit leader, or other designated decision-maker(s) for renewal, modification or termination.
4.5. Outcomes of the review process, including decisions on the future of the partnership, will be communicated to all stakeholders by TMU Global to ensure transparency and facilitate any required next steps.
5. Record Keeping
5.1. TMU Global will file all finalized IIAs in a centralized database, ensuring efficient record-keeping for institutional tracking and reporting.
5.2. If an International Institutional Partner requires wet ink signatures, hard copies of all completed IIAs will be securely stored in TMU Global’s office for archival purposes as per TMU’s Records Management Policy and Records Retention Schedule.
6. Renewal and Termination of International Activity Agreements
6.1. TMU Global will lead the renewal or termination process in close consultation with the initiator and all relevant stakeholders. No decision will be made without thorough discussion and consideration of their input, ensuring full compliance with the terms of the IIA and institutional policies.
6.2. IIAs may be terminated by either party if deemed necessary due to changing circumstances, shifts in institutional priorities, non-adherence, or other relevant considerations. However, such termination will only proceed following comprehensive consultation with all affected parties.
