Section 2: Types of Academic Partnership

 A partnership between UCL and a partner institution(s) set up to collaboratively facilitate the delivery of learning opportunities leading to the award of an academic degree or academic credit by UCL or jointly by UCL and the partner institution(s).

Evaluation of a potential partner organisation’s financial, legal and organisational position and the assessment of risks involved with entering into an academic partnership with the organisation.

Statement of intent to work with another party.  This document does not entail any specific commitment and is not legally binding, although potential activities may be referenced. UCL Global Engagement team manages the UCL Memoranda of Understanding.

Formal, legally-binding document setting out the rights and responsibilities of each party with regard to an academic partnership.  All academic partnerships require this type of agreement.

Students who satisfy the UCL academic criteria on a specific programme of another institution are entitled to be admitted with advanced standing to a subsequent stage of a UCL programme. UCL’s regulations concerning Recognition of Prior Learning apply to all articulation agreements.

Students who have successfully completed a specified programme of study at one institution may apply to be considered for a place on a named degree programme (s) at UCL.      

 These arrangements primarily support recruitment activity. The students must meet agreed entry criteria and any other special requirements as set out in the progression agreement; entry to the UCL programme is not guaranteed.

Exactly as a Joint Award, but each institution produces its own degree certificate and transcript due to juridical requirements or issues with recognition of a joint certificate. At least the UCL certificate for a double/multiple degree refers to the partner institution(s) as another degree-awarding body for the same programme. The principles for the specific wording on the se certificates can be found in Annex 8.1 Forms of Academic Partnerships.

Students undertake the major part of a UCL programme and of a partner institution programme with overlapping curricula allowing for the programmes to be taken together in a shorter time than it would take to complete the two programmes separately, but longer time than it would take to complete just one of the awards (to preclude full double-counting of credit for two awards)*. Each institution awards its own degree.

Each institution produces its own degree certificate and transcript.

The UCL qualification for a dual degree programme may or may not be contingent on credit awarded by the partner institution.

*The credit of an interim qualification can be counted towards the full qualification at the other institution (i.e. a PGDip is counted as the first year or a two-year Master’s programme at the other institution), but in this case the student will not be awarded the interim qualification by UCL. This type of partnership is an affiliate study arrangement, not an academic partnership, as there is no UCL award involved.  Exceptions can be made at the discretion of APP for qualifications leading to professional body recognition (in line with the principle set out in the UCL regulations for Recognition of Prior Learning).

Students undertake two separate awards one with the partner and one with UCL, without overlapping curricula.
The student transfers to UCL/partner to complete the other award, and the credit from the UCL award may count towards the partner institution award, but the partner award does not normally contribute towards the UCL award.

Each Institution awards its own degree.

Each Institution produces its own degree certificate and transcript. 

Students undertake one programme, which is jointly developed and delivered by UCL and another institution; one qualification is awarded by both institutions who issue a joint degree certificate.

Joint award partnerships usually require the most effort to establish as the regulations and administrative processes of both institutions as joint degree-awarding bodies must be aligned and their application to the joint award programme agreed between UCL and the partner institution.

Students undertake one programme that leads to a UCL award only and the UCL regulations, policies and procedures apply to the programme and oversight of all provision is always maintained by UCL. A jointly delivered programme is, however, designed, developed and delivered in collaboration with another institution, with whom the teaching activities for the programme are equally, or close to equally, shared.

Any teaching delivered by another institution as part of a UCL degree must be delivered in the English language, unless the aim of the module(s) is to teach and assess the students in a language other than English.

A jointly delivered programme can be referred to as a ‘joint programme’ in advertising material, but it should always be made clear that the programme only leads to a qualification awarded solely by UCL or by the partner institution.

Students undertake one UCL programme, delivered with contribution from a partner institution(s).

The programme leads to one award conferred by UCL. The level of contribution from the other institution(s) can vary from teaching a number of modules for a programme designed by UCL to providing facilities to a part of the programme or contributing to marketing and recruitment of the programme. Oversight of the programme and the activities provided with contribution from the partner institution is always maintained by UCL.

Any teaching delivered by another institution as part of a UCL degree must be delivered in the English language, unless the aim of the module(s) is to teach and assess the students in a language other than English.

A joint research degree programme is jointly designed, delivered and assessed by two institutions. The programme leads to a joint award with a single, joint degree certificate issued by the institutions. The regulatory requirements, including the examination requirements of both institutions apply to the programme. Where there is discrepancy between the regulations of the institutions, joint requirements that satisfy both institutions must be created separately for each programme by the proposing UCL Department and the partner institution, approved by the appropriate Committee(s) of each institution.

Joint PhD’s cannot be set up for individual students (so called ‘co-tutelle’ arrangements), but must be developed with the aim of recruiting several students over a number of years.

A double research degree programme is jointly designed, delivered and assessed by two institutions, but leads to two separate degree certificates, one issued by each institution. The degree certificate of UCL, at least, mentions that the degree is awarded for one double research degree programme. As the only difference between a joint and a double research degree is the issuance of degree certificates, joint regulations are also needed for a double research degree programme in the same way as for a joint research degree programme. 

Double PhD’s cannot be set up for individual students, but must be developed with the aim of recruiting several students over a number of years.

The whole programme, or a major part of a programme, are delivered in a location away from UCL campus by UCL staff, who also carry out all aspects of assessment. Flying Faculty and off-site partnerships may, however, also be Jointly Delivered or be combined with Programme Contribution from the partner institution.

International partnerships in this category are normally referred to as flying faculty whereas similar partnerships in the UK can be referred to as off-site.