Education Abroad Program Faculty and Staff Resources

• Planning for a faculty-led education abroad program requires 9-12 months of planning and meeting with Education Abroad and Scholar Services prior to the final proposal submission. 
• Discuss the concept for your program with your department chair and Education Abroad and Scholar Services. Obtain your college and Dean support for permission to offer an education abroad program prior to beginning the proposal phase.
• Discuss your teaching load and compensation options with your College. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board defines study abroad courses as "off-campus, academic credit instruction which is delivered outside the United States primarily to regular on-campus students."You must review the standards and ensure your program meets the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Standards for out-of-country courses. If you have any questions, please contact your Dean.  
• Review the Education Abroad website and manuals
• Consult the Forum on Education Abroad Standards of Good Practice to learn about programming best practices
• Attend an information session to discuss your concept or schedule a meeting with EA&SS.

UHCL Faculty-Led and Program Directors Education Abroad Handbook

Faculty-Directed Program Timeline & Support

• Set up meetings with your departmental administrator to gather information you will need to fill out the proposal and the spending plan. We strongly recommend that you use a Sample Budget Sheet to gather this information. Submitting a proposal with inaccurate information will delay the review of this program.

Before submitting a proposal, faculty should be prepared to:

• Set a meeting with Education Abroad & Scholar Services to review proposed program, timelines, and steps required for the proposal process. See below for more information. 
• Submit proposed program itinerary
• Submit a Budget Sheet
• Confirm the program location is not listed with a "Do Not Travel" red advisory on the Department of State Travel Warning List.
• Confirm the program is not a duplication of an existing UHCL program

The Office of Education Abroad and Scholar Services (EA&SS) provides guidance for faculty and their college to initiate, develop and implement education abroad programs built independently by the faculty. 

EA&SS oversees the student application and pre-departure portion of programs created and built by the college/faculty. Before completing the proposal phase, faculty should meet with EA&SS to ensure they acquire the appropriate contracts, agreements, insurance, translations, invoices, etc., related to their independently built program. The faculty will submit the documents to their college and directly to the contracts office for review and approval. 

Faculty, are encouraged to clarify and memorialize their international relationships, contracts, and services that will be utilized for their program. Note: If you have any doubts about contract use, please consult directly with Contract Administration Office regarding which contract would be best suited for your vendor(s). For questions related to contracts for goods and services, please contact Procurement at 281-283-2150 or UHCLprocurement@uhcl.edu. 

Instructions for seeking approval for international agreements and services pertaining to faculty-led program are described in the following sections:

• Process of Developing an International Agreement and MOU
• Foreign National Information Addendum - If a vendor is BOTH an individual and a foreign national, then this form must be submitted with their agreement.
• Documents that require UHCL Contracts/UH System legal review and approval before submitting an education abroad proposal generally include, but are not limited to:
  • UH system legally approves contracts for any vendors/services the faculty-led program will utilize (i.e., housing, classroom space, group flights, site visits, etc.)
  • Contracts where the college/university will submit payments
  • Liability insurance proof and approval by UHCL contracts departments
  • Host institution agreement/MOU with UHCL with the institution(s)
  • Transportation details and any related contracts for carriage
  • Detailed information on any high-risk activities planned on the faculty-led program and approval from UHCL Risk Management (uploaded in the proposal)
  • Cost centers where money will be transferred to pay vendors
  • Memorandum of Understanding - Agreement between two educational institutions to establish a commitment to a joint academic program, the details of which will be finalized in a future written agreement

All contracts binding the university or any of its components must be reviewed and approved by the Dean of the College and Contracts. Contracts include hiring independent contractors, private group transportation, vendors abroad, etc.). 

Since the standard contract agreements are revised periodically based on changes in law or University policy, we strongly recommend that you visit the UHCL contract website each time you enter into a new contract related to services and goods that will be provided for your education abroad program. Using an outdated or otherwise unacceptable document may delay the review of your contract by the contract/procurement office and the education abroad proposal. 

Contact Contract Administration regarding questions about forms and status of contracts pending at 281-283-2150 or UHCLprocurement@uhcl.edu. 

1. Complete and submit an online proposal form:
2. Visit www.ea.uhcl.edu
3. Log in using your UHCL credentials
4. Select 'Faculty/Staff Program Proposal & Resources'
5. Select ‘Submit Proposal’ by the deadlines listed below: 

Eligibility: Full-time faculty and lecturers are eligible to submit a Faculty-Led Education Abroad Program Proposal. This form must include departmental signatures. 

Proposal Workshops: Faculty and lecturers are encouraged to attend a faculty-led program proposal workshop, co-facilitated by The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and Education Abroad. The date and location of the next workshop will be determined soon.

Faculty-Directed Program Timeline & Support 

1. Faculty-led program proposals must be reviewed and approved by the faculty's department chair and college dean.

2. Proposal is then submitted to EA&SS online for review and final approval. EA&SS confirms review and approval of all related contracts related to the faculty-led program, risk management approval, and endorsements. 

Education Abroad and Scholar Services will review proposals based on affordability, marketability, sustainability, and risk management. During the review process, our office may request a meeting to resolve any questions they have about the proposal. Please ensure all contracts associated with the program have received approval from the College Dean and UH Contracts Administration.