1.0 First things first - read this before anything
What?
These guidelines will help you in the drafting of agreements on educational cooperation, particularly arrangements where a department/faculty of the University of Helsinki engages in the delivery of a jointly developed educational programme leading to one, two or multiple degrees. Such programmes and degrees are usually referred to as joint programmes, joint educational programmes, joint or dual degree programmes, or just joint degrees. In these guidelines, joint programme is used to cover all of the terms.
Regulations governing the management of joint programmes are outlined in General provisions for international joint degree programmes and joint supervision (cotutelle) agreements at the University of Helsinki in English (), Finnish () and Swedish (.
The decision-making on joint programmes will be similar to the procedures governing all degree programmes. This means that joint programmes are proposed by the faculties for the approval of the Rector. Faculties are responsible for guaranteeing the necessary resources for the delivery of the programme. Also, joint programmes will have their own curriculum with learning outcomes and other elements specific to the programme.
The guidelines are not definitive or normative. All agreements governing multi-institutional and multi-national cooperation are a combination of and a compromise between the regulations, traditions and similar guidelines of the institutions involved. None of the partners should be allowed to dominate with a set of rules and agreement templates.
An agreement template is provided at the end of these guidelines. Some issues are dealt with in more detail in separate chapters. Chapters are added and modifications are done with the help of and comments from readers and from experience gained.
For whom?
The guidelines are meant for all who are involved in the negotiations on international joint programme agreements, either as coordinators or partners.
By whom?
The first version of the guidelines was drafted in the University of Helsinki by Esko Koponen, International Education Adviser, Strategic Planning and Development. Hannele Markkanen, Legal Counsel in the same unit, has worked together with Esko on joint programme agreements and on these pages. The guidelines are updated by both Esko and Hannele.
The work on these guidelines was informed and inspired by several sources and persons. Special thanks go to Outi Snellman, Vice-President Organization, University of the Arctic International Secretariat.
The work done at the University of Bergen, Norway, was also observed when these pages were drafted. Please take some time to go through the by Hilde Haaland Kramer, Senior Executive Officer in the Office of Academic Affairs, held at the Nordic Council of Ministers Theme Seminar: Developing Joint Programmes and Degrees in the Nordic and Baltic Countries, 13-14 December, 2007, Tampere, Finland.
A special thanks to thank Dr. Juha Malmisalo, at the time of the Faculty of Theology for his invaluable feedback on the first version of the Guidelines.