2.0 Preparatory cooperation: mobility, Memorandum of Understanding

Designing a joint program with mutually agreed content, learning outcomes and pedagogical and administrative practices requires a lot of effort from all the parties involved. In order to plan successfully, the partners need to know each other well. Strong mutual research interests and links are a good basis for the development of joint educational activities but they do not transfer to program practices very easily. Therefore, if there is little or no cooperation in teaching and mobility between the partners, a preparatory phase of cooperation is strongly recommended. Students and staff, both academic and administrative, can be exchanged on a regular basis. Joint intensive courses are also a good way to adjust and test the educational grounds of cooperation. Online courses can be developed and delivered either as a single or joint venture. 

For the purposes of a preparatory period of educational cooperation, a Memorandum of Understanding must be signed. If the intended activities include exchanges, a separate agreement detailing the mobilities will also have to be drafted. Details on how to engage in exchanges with existing and new partner institutions and departments are found here: https://flamma.helsinki.fi/fi/HY1002932 (Finnish) and https://flamma.helsinki.fi/en/HY274639 (in English). The Memorandum of Understanding template includes the potential to develop a joint program. A possible target time for the start of the intended program can be included in the agreement text. 

Funding for exchanges is readily available through well-known and tested programs, such as Erasmus+ and Nordplus. The University has set aside its own funding for exchange operations not covered by the multinational programs.