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German - South African Academic Links Agreement
Agreement between Higher Education South Africa (HESA) and the German Rectors’ Conference - Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK)
Higher Education South Africa (HESA) and the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK) united in the aim of promoting academic links between the two countries, and in the awareness that a furthering of cooperation in the academic sphere is in the interest of the higher education institutions in both countries, make the following framework agreement.
ARTICLE 1
Purpose and Membership
(1) The partners to this agreement intend to promote cooperation in the areas of teaching and study, research and development, exchange of students, placement of doctoral students, exchange of senior and junior teaching staff and researchers.
(2) A higher education institution which is represented in the Higher Education South Africa (HESA) on the one side, and in the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK) on the other side and which becomes a signatory to this agreement is entitled to cooperate directly in accordance with the terms of this agreement with any signatory from the other country.
(3) This framework agreement shall be supplemented by details of partnership arrangements negotiated bilaterally between cooperating institutions in each country. While signatories are expected to promote cooperation, no higher education institution is expected to enter into partnership obligations beyond its resources.
ARTICLE 2
Fields of Cooperation
Cooperation is to be sought especially:
- in the exchange of undergraduate and graduate students on both sides;
- in the placement of South African and German graduates and doctoral students respectively, and placement of researchers;
- in the fostering and implementing of joint research projects;
- in the fostering and implementation of cooperation in the curricular design and implementation of programmes of study where applicable;
- through participation in joint academic events such as symposia, conferences, colloquia, etc.; and
- in establishing contacts in research and teaching, and in exchanging research information via publications, teaching materials, and electronic networks.
ARTICLE 3
Students
(1) South African and German students on direct exchange on the basis of pertinent agreements for periods of a semester or more, and who remain validly enrolled for a degree, or provide evidence of a formal leave of absence by the home institution as participants of the exchange agreement (Exmatrikulation or Beurlaubung), and have paid any compulsory fees and charges in the home institution, will not be required to pay additional tuition fees in the host institutions.
(2) Exchanges will be arranged at the individual institutional level, each participating institution will be responsible for managing its reciprocity requirements.
(3) The host institutions will provide to the home institution a statement/transcript of study undertaken and/or credit point achievements of each exchange student, in an agreed form.
ARTICLE 4
Admissions
(1) The basis for entry for students will be agreed between each home and host institution, with each taking into account applicants' records of achievement, goals and the comparability of courses to be undertaken. To guide admission decisions, the Higher Education South Africa (HESA) on the one side and the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK) on the other side will engage in further consultations to set up recommendations for admission for South African and German students and graduates at the higher education institutions in both countries, including the admission to doctoral studies. These recommendations shall become part of this agreement as Appendix.
ARTICLE 5
Staff
(1) Proposals regarding the attachment of academic staff or researchers to a host institution shall be agreed in writing between the departments and institutes concerned well in advance of the period of stay.
(2) The parties to the agreement share the view that due consideration should be given to the wishes of both parties regarding the exchange of personnel and connected matters.
ARTICLE 6
Arrangements and Support
(1) The partner institutions, agreeing on exchanges and attachments, shall attempt to provide every necessary support to participants in the exchange during their stay. They shall allow the participants to use - as far as possible - the host institution's academic resources and amenities on the same terms as members of the host institution in the same category.
(2) The host institution shall endeavour to help participants gain access also to necessary facilities such as archives, libraries, museums, and laboratories, and including computer facilities and photo-copying which are required for the successful completion of their academic programme or research in the host institution.
(3) Participating students will enjoy the same rights and privileges and be subject to the same regulations and discipline as students of the host institution.
ARTICLE 7
Finance
(1) Parties to the agreement shall endeavour to finance the programme envisaged. They shall inform each other in good time about the availability and allocation of funding. The availability of funding shall determine the scope of the programme in any period.
(2) Details of the implementation of programmes in partner institutions shall be jointly worked out by the appropriate academic institutes and departments and approved by appropriate authorities in those institutions. Specific work programmes of this kind do not rule out additional academic contacts.
(3) The Higher Education South Africa (HESA) on the one side and the Hochschulrektoren-konferenz (HRK) on the other side may facilitate broad national academic contact and exchange programmes with varying patterns of voluntary involvement of signatory institutions in the two countries, utilising the good offices of allied bodies.
ARTICLE 8
Consultation
Representatives of the Higher Education South Africa (HESA) on the one side and the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK) on the other side shall consult at regular intervals to consider the progress of cooperation and to investigate further projects. Such regular review of progress of the implementation of the cooperation agreement should take place preferably on an annual basis. Representatives of other Higher Education Institutions could be part of these consultations and could form a joint scientific committee.
ARTICLE 9
Duration
This agreement shall be valid for five years. It shall be renewed for a further five years unless one of the parties gives written notice of discontinuation at least six months before the date of its termination. Any amendments shall be agreed in writing after joint consultations.
ARTICLE 10
This agreement shall come into operation after each party has gone through the appropriate procedure of assent and authorisation and after the signed texts of agreements have been exchanged.
Berlin, 17 September 2013
Higher Education South Africa (HESA)
Professor Ahmed Bawa
Chairperson
Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK)
Professor Dr Horst Hippler
President
APPENDIX
GERMAN - SOUTH AFRICAN ACADEMIC LINKS AGREEMENT
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO HIGHER EDUCATION STUDIES
Decisions on admission of students with German qualifications to South African Universities and students with South African qualifications to German higher education institutions will be made by the receiving institution.
To assist institutions in the decision-making process, the Higher Education South Africa (HESA) on the one side and the Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK) on the other side have agreed to the following recommendations. They are aware that changes of structures and standards in both systems may require, from time to time, a review of these recommendations.
(1) Language
German and South African students wishing to study in the other country should demonstrate an appropriate level of competence in the language of tuition.
(2) Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications
In principle, periods of study at higher education institutions in South Africa or Germany should be regarded as comparable on a year-to-year basis. However, there are programmes and awards in each system which do not lend themselves to direct comparisons with awards in the other system and these should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Also, individual institutions may have specific standards, such as grades or other evaluation requirements, to be satisfied as prerequisites for admission to particular programmes of study.
(3.1) Admission of South African Students and Graduates
Holders of a South African Bachelor's degree awarded after three to four years of study should be eligible for admission to graduate studies in accordance with the profile of their prior studies, subject to the requirements of the receiving institution.
Holders of a South African Bachelor’s degree with Honours, with thesis or research project and the classification “First Class” or “Second Class, Upper Division” may be considered, on a case-by-case basis, for candidature for doctoral studies in Germany.
Holders of a South African Master's degree should be considered for doctoral candidature in Germany (Doktorand), subject to the requirements of the receiving institution.
Other students should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
(3.2) Admission of German Students and Graduates
Holders of a German Bachelor's degree awarded after three to four years of study should be eligible for admission to South African graduate programmes in accordance with the profile of their prior studies. Excellent graduates may be also considered, on a case-by-case basis, for admission to doctoral programmes in South Africa.
Holders of a German Master's degree should be considered for doctoral candidature in South Africa, subject to the requirements of the receiving institution.
Holders of a German University Diplom, Magister degree or a Staatsprüfung should be considered for doctoral candidature in South Africa, subject to the requirements of the receiving institution.
Holders of a German Diplom FH should be eligible for admission to South African graduate programmes in accordance with the profile of their prior studies.
Other students should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
(4) Doctoral Degrees
Doctorates awarded by South African and German institutions should be regarded as being equivalent.
Berlin, 17 September 2013
Higher Education South Africa (HESA)
Professor Ahmed Bawa
Chairperson
Hochschulrektorenkonferenz (HRK)
Professor Dr Horst Hippler
President
