Collaboration Resources
There are several options when formalizing a collaboration with an international partner. If you need assistance determining what kind of agreement is appropriate for your collaboration, contact Travis Dadigian (tdadigian@ucsd.edu) at Scripps Oceanography's Office of Contract and Grant Administration (SIO C&G).
International Agreements and Memorandum of Understanding are reviewed and approved by our SIO C&G office and signed in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Marine Sciences. Please allow as much advance notice as possible, as negotiating with foreign universities and governments can be a lengthy process.
MOUs
The most common unfunded agreement with an international collaborator is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). An MOU is typically an institutional agreement (Scripps-wide, and signed by Dr. Leinen) or a lab/department-wide agreement (signed by SIO C&G). MOUs are non-binding and do not have a specific Statement of Work (SOW). You can find a sample MOU template here, and the process for working with the Director’s Office on an institutional MOU here. For lab/department-wide MOUs, please contact your business office and Travis Dadigian in SIO C&G (tdadigian@ucsd.edu) to get started.
MOUs involving both SIO and main campus require SIO C&G coordinating with main campus's Office of International Affairs. If your MOU involves both SIO and main campus, contact the International Affairs Office for assistance Max Reinke (mreinke@ucsd.edu). This can take longer, so allow extra time for the MOU process.
For a complete list of MOUs at Scripps, login here:
To see all international agreements at UCSD, visit the International Affairs International Agreements Database.
Unfunded Collaboration Agreement
An Unfunded Collaboration Agreement is binding, has a specific SOW, and is usually specific to one PI; it is signed by SIO C&G. You can find a sample template here. Please contact your business office and Travis Dadigian (tdadigian@ucsd.edu) to get started.
International Travel
If a faculty member is traveling for more than 7 days, they must alert their section MSO. In addition, if an international visitor is staying for any period of time, they must be registered with the section MSO.
Several countries require visas prior to entry, if you are a U.S. citizen, check country requirements before traveling. If you are not a U.S. citizen, check travel requirements with your home country's government. If you are traveling to a restricted or high risk country, you must check with your section MSO for any required vital information or security procedures prior to your travel.
Travel to and collaborations with Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syrian and Sudan require export license review. Licenses may take 6 weeks to a few months to obtain. Please contact export@ucsd.edu with details on the purpose of the travel and what equipment you will be traveling with to determine export licensing requirements. Licenses must be in place prior to travel or export to comply with federal export regulations.
Sponsored Research
Please contact your business office and the appropriate SIO C&G officer if you’re interested in proposing a sponsored research project to an international sponsor. C&G contacts can be found here.
Sales and Service Agreements
If you are seeking to perform a non-research sales and service agreement for an international purchaser, please speak with your business office for guidance and see here for more information.
Restricted Party Screening
The Office of International Affairs performs Restricted Party Screening for all international agreements as part of the agreement development process. The US government maintains lists of Restricted Parties that require export licenses for exports of material, software or technology or unpublished technical data. This screening is conducted to ensure that export licensing requirements are identified and licenses obtained from the US government to support the activities covered under an international agreement. Questions about this requirement may be directed to UC San Diego's Export Control Officer at export@ucsd.edu. Visit export.ucsd.edu for more information.
Export Licensing
Export licensing may be required for exports or hand carry of equipment, even for use by SIO researchers abroad, as part of international collaborations. The Export Control Office will advise on the required international trade paperwork and options for the use of export license exceptions like tools of the trade or will file for export licenses to support international collaborations. Researchers are encourage to contact Export Control early as export licensing can take up to 3 months to obtain from the U.S. government. Email export@ucsd.edu or call 858-246-3300.