Resolutions
Meeting of the German Rectors´ Conference (HRK) and the Union of Rectors of Higher Educational Institutions of Ukraine (URHEIU)
Framework agreement from 27 April 1998, as amended on 15 December 2014
With the shared aim of promoting academic links and research cooperation between Germany and Ukraine and being aware that the development of close academic cooperation is in the interests of the higher education institutions (HEIs) in both countries, the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and the Union of Rectors of Higher Educational Institutions of Ukraine (URHEIU) conclude the following agreement:
ARTICLE 1
Purpose of the agreement
The HEIs which join this agreement as designated in Art. 2 para. 2 will cooperate in teaching, studying and research, through the exchange of students, through the placement of early-stage researchers on a mutual basis, through the exchange of academic teachers, through the exchange of researchers as well as in joint research projects.
ARTICLE 2
Participating HEIs
(1) Any HEI which joins this agreement is entitled to cooperate with any HEI which joined this agreement in the other country in accordance with this agreement without the need for any further agreements.
(2) Both
- Ukrainian HEIs which are members of the Union of Rectors of Higher Educational Institutions of Ukraine (URHEIU) and
- German HEIs which are members of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK)
are entitled to join this agreement by declaring their participation in writing to the URHEIU or the HRK respectively.
(3) The Ukrainian HEIs which joined this agreement are listed in Appendix 1 of this agreement. The list is updated regularly. The URHEIU notifies the HRK of changes(1).
(4) The German HEIs which joined this agreement are listed in Appendix 2 of this agreement. The list is updated regularly. The HRK notifies the URHEIU of changes(1).
(5) This agreement may be supplemented by detailed bilateral arrangements between cooperating HEIs in both countries. In particular, HEIs are recommended to enter into arrangements which ensure effective mutual recognition of students' academic achievements made within agreed exchange programmes at partner institutions (see Art. 3 para. 2) as well as arrangements on supporting students by providing academic advice and guidance.
(6) No HEI is obliged to enter into cooperation which it is unable to fund.
(7) The HEIs which joined this agreement in both countries endeavour to waive the tuition fees at the host institution, if possible, for the German and Ukrainian students who, on the basis of relevant bilateral agreements, take part in a mutual exchange.
ARTICLE 3
Exchange of students, general principles
(1) The general admission regulations of the host HEI in question apply to students participating in exchange programmes under this agreement.
(2) Given the differences in curriculum design and organisation of studies at the HEIs in the two countries, the HEIs which join the agreement undertake to recognise the academic achievements made at HEIs in the other country appropriately. In doing so, achievements should not be compared by following a fixed scheme, but they should be viewed and evaluated as a whole.
ARTICLE 4
Ukrainian students at German HEIs
(1) Ukrainian students studying for a Bachelor's degree at a German HEI which joined the agreement shall be placed in the appropriate semester of the degree programme taking into consideration the general admission requirements and following the criteria applied by the host HEI.
(2) Ukrainian students who have studied for at least four years at the home HEI or who hold a Bakalavr's degree shall be eligible for admission to a Master's degree programme in accordance with the internal admission requirements of the host HEI.
(3) Ukrainian students studying for a German Master's degree may in exceptional cases be obliged to take supplementary courses, with the qualification they are aiming for and the profile of their previous studies being considered.
(4) Study visits should also be used to pursue complementary study options and/or to conduct more in-depth practical exercises within the curriculum such as laboratory work and series of experiments where they are available at the host HEI.
ARTICLE 5
German students at Ukrainian HEIs
(1) German students studying for a Bakalavr's degree at a Ukrainian HEI which joined the agreement shall be placed in the appropriate semester of the degree programme taking into consideration the general admission requirements and following the criteria applied by the host HEI.
(2) German students who have been awarded a Bachelor's degree by the home HEI shall be eligible for admission to a Magister's degree programme
or to the fourth year of a Specialist's degree programme.
(3) German students studying for a Ukrainian Specialist's or Magister's degree may in exceptional cases be obliged to take supplementary courses, with the qualification they are aiming for and the profile of their previous studies being considered.
ARTICLE 6
Admission to doctoral training at German HEIs
(1) Holders of a Specialist's or Magister's degree from a Ukrainian HEI which joined this agreement shall be eligible for admission to doctoral training at German HEIs which have the right to confer doctoral degrees and joined this agreement.
(2) Applicants may be obliged to take up supplementary studies while working on the dissertation following a decision by the faculty/department on recommendation of the supervising academic teacher, with the previous studies of the subject in which they intend to take the doctoral degree and the topic of the dissertation being considered. These supplementary studies and their evaluation are not a prerequisite for admission and acceptance as a doctoral candidate. The duration of the supplementary studies should not exceed four semesters.
ARTICLE 7
Admission to doctoral training (aspirantura) at Ukrainian HEIs
(1) Holders of a Master's or equivalent degree from a German HEI shall be eligible for admission to doctoral training at Ukrainian HEIs which have the right to confer doctoral degrees and joined this agreement.
(2) Applicants may be obliged to take up supplementary studies while working on the dissertation following a decision by the responsible bodies on recommendation of the supervising academic teacher, with the previous studies of the subject in which they intend to take the doctoral degree and the topic of the dissertation being considered. These supplementary studies and their evaluation are not a prerequisite for admission and acceptance as a doctoral candidate. The duration of the supplementary studies should not exceed two academic years.
ARTICLE 8
The use of funding programmes
The HEIs will use funding options offered under national, bilateral and international programmes, including those offered by the European Union, for their cooperation.
ARTICLE 9
Cooperation as part of bilateral accords, agreements and programmes
The HRK and the URHEIU agree to work together on the activities detailed in this agreement with the public authorities designated under bilateral agreements as responsible for German-Ukrainian cooperation and with other relevant institutions.
ARTICLE 10
Coordination
Coordination work required to implement this agreement will be carried out by the URHEIU on the Ukrainian side and by the HRK on the German side.
ARTICLE 11
Existing agreements on cooperation
This agreement does not affect the validity of existing agreements on cooperation between German and Ukrainian HEIs.
ARTICLE 12
Other agreements to promote mobility and exchange
None of the provisions of this agreement are contrary to agreements under which HEIs render the conditions for mobility and student exchange more favourable than is provided for under this agreement.
ARTICLE 13
Validity period, termination, additions
(1) This agreement is valid for five years. The validity period will each time be extended by another five years unless one of the partners terminates the agreement in writing and at least six months before the end of the validity period.
(2) The termination of this agreement does not constitute an obstacle to continuing any cooperation agreed between German and Ukrainian HEIs which joined this agreement.
(3) If this agreement is terminated by the HRK and/or the URHEIU, the students and doctoral candidates accepted under the terms of Art. 4 to Art. 7 are entitled to complete their study programmes under the conditions of the agreement.
(4) Additions to this agreement may be agreed in writing after prior consultation.
ARTICLE 14
Final provisions, commencement
(1) This agreement will be drawn up in German and Ukrainian languages. Both texts are equally binding.
(2) This agreement will come into force after both sides have completed the necessary agreement procedures and notifications thereof have been exchanged.
Warsaw, 15 December 2014
For the German Rectors' Conference
Vice-President
Professor Johanna Eleonore Weber
For the Union of Rectors of Higher Educational Institutions of Ukraine
President
Professor Leonid Vasylovych Hubersky
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(1) The current lists may be requested from the HRK Secretariat.
