Partnership Agreements with European Universities
Partnerships with European universities are established within the framework of the Swiss European Mobility Programme (SEMP). On the one hand, this program offers students the opportunity to study for one or two semesters at a European university, and on the other hand it allows professors to establish collaborations and carry out short teaching stays abroad, invite colleagues for short-term teaching assignments, and host students for internships.
A Bilateral Agreement functions as the basis of the staff or student mobility. It specifies the number of students and/or staff members, the education level required of the students, and the duration of the stay.
Personal contacts among professors from both institutions are key to the success of a bilateral agreement.
Key Elements
- An agreement is established in a specific field of study.
- The agreement may involve the mobility of both students and teaching staff.
- The students’ level of education is specified (Bachelor's, Master's, and/or Doctorate).
- All Unifr professors and senior lecturers (MER) can initiate an exchange agreement.
- The successful conclusion of an agreement for staff mobility does not necessarily guarantee its funding. More information on this subject can be found under the SEMP Teaching Mobility tab.
Procedure
- Verification of existing agreements
Please check for a pre-existing partnership agreement with the desired university: Partner universities. - Contact with partner university
A contact with a professor at the desired university is recommended in order to create a solid partnership agreement for students’ and/or professors’ mobility. - Request on MyUnifr
To establish a partnership agreement, a request must be submitted through MyUnifr. The request should contain the following information:
- Name of partner university,
- Name and email address of your contact person at the partner university,
- Type of mobility that is wished: students and/or staff,
- Level of studies (Bachelor’s, Master’s, and/or PhD).
- Partnership contract
The IRO establishes the contract and shares it with the partner university. - After the request has been submitted
The IRO is in charge of the follow-up and will let the professor know of any complications that may arise.
Deadlines
There are no specific deadlines to initiate an exchange agreement. Ideally, agreements involving student mobility should be established in October, so the students can benefit from it the following academic year.
An exchange agreement for a teaching stay can be signed at any moment during the academic year, as long as the partner university allows it.