In the framework of the GENERAL AGREEMENT ON ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT GOVERNING A DOUBLE MASTER DEGREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME, organized by Northwestern Polytechnical University (Xi an, China) and Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Brussel, Belgium) in the area of Computer Science Between Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels (Belgium), hereinafter referred to as VUB, represented by Prof. dr. Paul De Knop, Rector, and the Northwestern Polytechnical University, 127 Youyi Xilu, Xi an 710072, Shaanxi Province, P. R. China, hereinafter referred to as NPU represented by Prof. dr. Wang Jinsong, President, Jointly referred to as the the Parties HAVE AGREED to the following terms and conditions, including those in the annexes which form an integral part of this Bilateral Agreement. Page 1
Article I - Objective of the Present Agreement The present Bilateral Agreement is drafted within the framework of the actions defined by the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2013 (VUB ref 2013-CN-100) between the Parties. The present Bilateral Agreement is for the purpose of broadening the academic and cultural education of students who enroll in the Double Master Degree Educational Programme and at the same time enhance educational and scientific collaboration between the Parties. VUB programme leading to a double master degree for which the students will receive a separate diploma (double diploma): (i) Master of Applied Sciences and Engineering - Computer Science at VUB, based on VUB s Master of Applied Sciences and Engineering - Computer Science (Multi-media), and (ii) Master in Computer Applications Technology at NPU, based on the NPU s - Master program in Computer Science and Technology - Computer Applications Technology. The present agreement defines the conditions of the above mentioned Double Master Degree Educational Programme for students from NPU, enrolled at NPU and VUB. Article-II Summary of the Educational program leading to the award of the double diploma II.1. Objectives: The purpose of this double diploma Master is to train students in general aspects of Computer Science (hereafter: CS) and to give them the opportunity to specialise in the area of Multimedia. The presented Master's programme, described in Annex-1 List of Courses focuses on obtaining scientific and problem/solving competences (knowledge, insight and skills) as well as on teamwork. Since part of this Master's programme will be performed at another university, the students learn to familiarize themselves with another culture and language. II.2. Integrated Master Programme: the double diploma is awarded upon successful completion of an integrated Master s Programme designed by the Parties. The duration of the Master is five semesters. II.3. Contents: During the first two semesters, in total 60 ECTS, will be followed at NPU as described in Annex-1 List of Courses. In the third semester 30 ECTS courses will be followed at VUB as described in Annex-1 List of Courses. Each university will offer several courses based on key lines in research, to ensure that students acquire appropriate skills and state-of-the-art knowledge, preparing them optimally for future developments in CS. In the fourth and fifth semesters (together, 30 ECTS) an individual Master's project will be performed by the student. This project is either a research assignment or a design assignment. The fourth semester will be at VUB and the fifth semester at NPU. The Master thesis will always be co-supervised by an NPU professor and a VUB professor. II.4. Organisation: Each year, around a total of 10 students are welcomed to join this programme. Students will spend their entire first two semesters at NPU. At the start of the third semester, they will move to VUB for two semesters. The last semester will be at NPU. Page 2
II.5. Degree-Awarding: The completion of the curriculum and thesis leading to the double MSc degree, is rewarded by a Double Diploma. A Diploma Supplement describing personal curriculum contents is delivered by each of the Parties. II.6. Student Eligibility: The Master Course is open to excellent students who have acquired a BSc or Bachelor in Engineering, and are also accepted at NPU in the Master program in Computer Science and Technology - Computer Applications Technology. II.7 Double diploma Implementation Unless stated otherwise in this agreement, Local Legislation should be followed for starting and implementing the Double Master Degree educational programme. Article-III: Administrative organization (selection, admission requirements and fees) III.1. Language admission requirement Admission requirements are a completed application form, a Bachelor in Engineering or in Science and sufficient proficiency in English: IELTS (Academic) test score of minimum 6,5 or TOEFL (test score of minimum ibt 80). III.2. Selection procedure. Before the first semester of the Double Degree master Educational programme, NPU will select the students for admittance to the NPU master. In that first semester, a preselection among these students will be organized jointly by the Parties for admission to the double degree educational program. The Management committee (see Article IV.4) will check the language admission requirements and the academic competence of the candidates based on the template in Annex 4. The Management committee will do the final selection after interviews, carried out in face-to-face meetings or video-conferences or telephone calls, with each preselected candidates. Students will receive an offer letter, latest two weeks before the deadline of VUB application (currently March 1). III.3. Application procedure at VUB Application should be made online via www.vub.ac.be/en before March 1. III.4. Enrolment and Fees. The student will enroll at NPU for 5 semesters. Students must formalise their enrolment annually at NPU and NPU will request annual tuition fee payment. Students are admitted to all appropriate lectures, tutorials, practical classes, industrial visits, seminars and conferences organised by NPU as part of the curriculum of the programme. During their time of study at NPU, the students shall comply with all the internal regulations of NPU, and all the legal and social obligations under national Law. Page 3
The student will enroll at the VUB for the last three semesters (semesters 3, 4 and 5). The 5 th semester being considered as a mobility to NPU. Students must formalise their enrolment annually at VUB and VUB will request annual tuition fee payment. Students are admitted to all appropriate lectures, tutorials, practical classes, industrial visits, seminars and conferences organized by VUB as part of the curriculum of the programme. During their time of study at VUB, students from NPU shall comply with all the internal regulations of VUB, and all the legal and social obligations under national and European Law. During their study period at VUB, the students have to cover their travel, accommodation and subsistence costs by themselves as well as insurance and health care system fees. The local international offices provide the students and scholars with all necessary information and materials on structure of the university. Subsequently, arrangements will be made with the international offices of the Parties concerning all administrative tasks and practical issues such as regulation of health insurance, information on housing, information on student activities on campus, orientation programme upon arrival. III.5. Mobility scheme. Students have to follow the first year (semester 1 and 2) at NPU, the second year (semester 3 and 4) at VUB and the 5 th semester at NPU. III.6. Master Thesis For the thesis topic selection: (a) the topic is proposed by the co-supervisors, one from NPU and one from VUB, (b) a topic selection document confirmed and signed by the co-supervisors and faculty/school authorities should be handed by the student to both NPU and VUB. A pre-defense will be held at VUB at the end of the 4 th semester, the NPU co-supervisor will attend either physically or by teleconferencing. A final defense will be held at NPU following NPU s arrangement (normally in March after the 5 th semester). The VUB co-supervisor will attend either physically or by teleconferencing. III.7. Examination criteria and regulation. The Parties have developed agreed assessment procedures which are comparable and fully transparent (see Annex-2 Assessment procedures ). General exam regulations will be set up. These regulations will be included among other things: - Examinations passed at one Party institution are fully recognized by the other Party institution. - Retake course and second-chance examinations are described in Annex-2 Assessment procedures. - Master thesis assessment will be made following the regulations of both universities. III.8. Transfer of credits. Page 4
Marking will be done according NPU s national scales (required to offer degrees). All Parties use the ECTS credits as accumulation system, as defined in Annex-1 List of Courses. There are no problems concerning credit recognition. Exam Scores obtained at one university will be 'translated' to local grading system according to Annex-3 Grading conversion. III.9. Study progress monitoring The student shall be subject to the system of study progress monitoring applied by the institution where he/she is registered. A decision to reject registration imposed upon a student by an institution shall be recognised by the other Party. III.10 Awarding of the degree. When a student fulfilled all his duties he/she gets, a double degree, namely one degree from NPU and one degree from VUB. Success will be defined according to the Assessment procedures agreed on by the 2 Parties, as defined in Annex-2 Assessment procedures. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel will deliver a diploma with the title Master of Applied Sciences and Engineering: Computer Science (specialisation Multi-media) The Northwestern Polytechnical University will deliver a diploma with the title of NPU - Master of Engineering: Computer Applications Technology III.11 Quality assessment procedure. The Parties have a common responsibility with regard to the quality assurance of the programme as a whole as well as to that of the different course elements taught at the each institution. Internal evaluation is performed at three levels: All registered students are asked to evaluate each course element and their experiences with the Master's programme and non-academical experiences. All three evaluations are discussed once a year in the Management Committee (see Article IV.4) and changes are proposed to the local Master s councils. The Local Master s boards are in charge of the overall curriculum, the course contents and planning of changes according to the needs of the study program, the student evaluations, the recommendations of the Management committee, the new evolutions in the field of study and the requirements from external stakeholders. The formal decisions concerning changes are made independently by the Local Master s boards. The Double Master Degree Educational programme remains fully embedded in the overall quality assurance system of both Parties. Page 5
III.12 Protection of research results and property rights Any publication resulting from Master thesis research project should refer to the two affiliations. The research results arising from the Master thesis research project shall be the property of the VUB and NPU. The protection of the Master thesis research results originating from the Master thesis research project, as well as any matter related to filing them, making them accessible, their publication and exploitation shall be discussed and agreed by the Master cosupervisors and be in accordance with the national and institutional regulations in force. Article IV - Responsibilities and Organizational structure IV.1. The Parties shall perform and complete their share of the Double Master Degree Educational Programme activities as described in Annex-1 List of Courses. Each Party shall carry out the work in such a way that no act or omission in relation thereto shall constitute, cause, or contribute to any breach or non-compliance to the other Party. IV.2. Each Party should support the Coordination of the Double Master Degree Educational Programme and encourage exchange in teaching and research. Each Party shall organize and realize the Double Master Degree Educational Programme activities in its own institution, and specifically: - The realization and promotion of the Double Master Degree Educational Programme. - Regarding the students visiting its institution, prior and during their stays: o Visa request: Each Party shall help to obtain the documents required by its national immigration policy, by providing all the explanations and documents helpful for the applicants. Supervision of students' and scholars' status regarding national immigration policy during their stay. o Assistance if needed with academic admission o o Information on accommodation The students in the framework of this agreement are entitled to the same rights and obligations as the regular students in the Master of Applied Sciences and Engineering - Computer Science at VUB, concerning transportation (organization and payment) within the country of the hosting Party (e.g., airport/ university) for compulsory mobilities. IV.3. Each Party will define a local academic programme coordinator, named in Annex-2 Assessment procedures. The local academic program coordinator shall organize and coordinate with his/her collaborator(s) the activities and the organisation of the Double Master Degree Educational Programme in his/her institution. He/she is the link between Party institutions. IV.4. The Management Committee consists of the local academic programme coordinators. The Management committee meets twice a year, by means of face to face meeting or tele-conferencing. At the Management Committee Meeting, the representatives will evaluate the organisational structure: efficacy, effectiveness of the organization teaching and administrative tasks as agreed upon, student recruitment, PR. Also the programme itself will be evaluated: structure, content and quality of the programme, progress of the students. The Management Committee has the roles of (i) liaison between the Local Master s boards and (ii) making of proposals and actions to keep the program coherent. Page 6
The Management Committee controls the appropriateness of the program and course implementations, conform the decisions of the Local Master s boards and formulates proposals for actions intending enhancement of the individual courses, course organization and quality improvement in general, every year. As partly specified in Article III.10, the student s evaluations on the courses, the curriculum coherence and extracurricular activities will be analyzed by the Local Master s board of each university and by the Management committee. It is the Management committee s responsibility to formulate recommendations for change and/or remediation whenever appropriate. Whenever a change is proposed, this has to be checked on coherence by the Management committee and communicated to the local Master s boards of the Parties. Whenever, problems arise that are related to the tasks of the international relations (Article III.4), the Management committee should solve them in collaboration with the international offices, directly. Article V Validity of the Agreement This Agreement shall remain in force for a period of at least four years from the starting date. Extension of the duration of the Agreement will be automatic, unless one of the Parties notifies the other Party, in writing, six months before the requested termination of the Agreement. Amendments to this agreement will be agreed in writing between the Parties. Either Party will be entitled at any time at its absolute discretion to terminate the Agreement by giving written notice six months beforehand to the other. Such termination will not adversely affect any mobility in effect prior to the effective date of the termination. Each Party will ensure that adequate arrangements are made to complete all commitments that are in process before the Agreement is terminated. Article V - Applicable law and competent court V.1. This Agreement shall in all respect be in compliance with the terms of the related Memorandum of Understanding signed in January 2013 and be governed by Belgian law. The settlement of any difference or conflict arising from or in connection with this Agreement shall be attempted by an amicable effort from the Parties. Only the Courts of Brussels are competent to decide on the disputes which remain unresolved. V.2. The Double Master Degree Educational Programme student is bound to the rules and regulations from the Institutes / Institutions at which she/he is enrolled. Article VI - Annexes The following annexes are part of the present Agreement Annex-1. List of Courses Annex-2. Assessment procedures Annex-3. Grading conversion Page 7
This agreement is drawn up and signed in duplicate. This agreement will go in effect on the March 31, 2014. For NPU For VUB Name: Prof. Dr. Jinsong WANG Title: President Date: Signature: Name: Prof. Dr. Paul DE KNOP Title: Rector Date: Signature: Name: Prof. Dr. Bingbo WEI Title: Vice President Date: Signature: Name: Prof. Dr. Jan CORNELIS Title: Vice Rector Date: Signature: Page 8