International Partnerships

Advancing UIC's internationalization

Formal partnerships and informal collaborations underpin many of the goals set forth in the UIC Comprehensive Internationalization Plan (2023-2028) and reflect UIC’s commitment to achieving the plan’s vision to create “a globally connected campus community which supports faculty, staff, and students as they address the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.”

The Office of Global Engagement (OGE) serves as a resource for UIC’s Colleges and Schools as they evaluate opportunities for both new and expanded collaborations with partners around the world. From initial consultations to helping navigate the process for entering into an agreement, OGE staff can help. OGE also functions as a resource for prospective and current international partners who may want to propose new ideas for collaboration, seek advice on agreements, or request assistance with visits to the UIC campus.

UIC's international partnerships

UIC proudly supports partnerships with international higher education institutions, foreign governments and their agencies, international hospitals and clinics, and various organizations and institutions abroad that support a diverse range of academic, research, and creative activities for the UIC community. These include exchange programs for students and faculty, faculty-directed study abroad programs, cooperative education programs, articulation/facilitated transfer agreements, and general agreements for cooperation and collaboration. Our glossary offers descriptions of the most common types of collaborative activities and programs.

UIC also regularly collaborates with domestic organizations that provide, for example, services for the outbound mobility of UIC students and services for the recruitment of international students.

The Office of Global Engagement advises UIC Colleges and Schools–and often works directly with international partners–on the development and execution of various legal instruments to codify collaboration, including international affiliation agreements.

All international affiliation agreements must adhere to the International Collaboration Policy, vital to ensuring that UIC remains compliant with all relevant state, federal, and international laws and regulations.

Recently, the Office of Global Engagement and Purchasing and Contract Management (PCM) have assumed an expanded compliance role with agencies for the recruitment of international students, which involves a rigorous initial evaluation/intake process, risk analysis, formal internal review by multiple offices, completion and submission of paperwork required under state laws, and negotiation of contracts. Colleges and Schools interested in working with recruiters/agents or marketing service providers that gather prospective student data in other countries should contact the Director of International Affairs.

Our commitment to compliance

Activities supported by international affiliation agreements are regulated by various federal and state laws. The UIC campus complies with all such regulations and asks members of the academic community to get acquainted with them.

Campus resources about compliance:

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UIC-Tec Partnership

In January 2020, UIC entered into a strategic partnership with Tecnológico de Monterrey. The partnership includes a long-term visiting scholar and liaison office to facilitate exchange and collaboration. Ongoing initiatives include academic collaborations, joint research and scholarship, and the exchange of students and faculty.