Understanding the background and history of the relationship with the visiting organization or institution helps in recognizing the context and significance of the visit. It provides insights into past collaborations, mutual interests, and the evolution of the partnership, which can guide the planning and objectives of the current visit. These considerations outlined below can help in organizing a successful and impactful visit, fostering meaningful collaborations, and ensuring compliance with university and state regulations.

What is the background/history of the relationship with this organization/institution?
What is the benefit to the University/your college/school/your department of this visit?
What long and short-term partnership goals do you have? For example:

• Research
  • Overview of the research project
  • Grants, fellowships, or other funding associated with the partnership if applicable
  • Potential scholarship (articles, presentations, practical applications, etc.)
  • Student Programs
    • Students impacted: undergraduate, graduate, and/or professional
    • What language, admission, travel, degree plan, coursework, or other relevant student requirements outlined may be impacted?
    • Type of Student Program: Reciprocal Educational Exchange Program (REEP*), Education Abroad, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), PhD recruiting, Dual Degree**, Pipeline program, etc. 
      *REEP programs are the most time-consuming type of international program and will require extensive exploratory work prior to implementation.  Per state regulations, they must balance in numbers going in and out.  For more issues to consider related to these agreements, see REEP Proposal document. 
      ** Dual Degrees have a lengthy on campus, state, and accreditation process for approvals that typically takes about a year.
  • Faculty Engagement
    • Type of engagement: virtual, symposium, visiting scholar, exchange, collaborative research, sharing laboratory space/data, etc.

What is the intended outcome(s) of the visit?

• Flesh out short term or long-term goals
• Formalize the relationship by working on a memorandum of understanding or agreement (can take 1 – 6 months depending on complexity)
• Sign a finalized agreement (only if both partners have previously completed all their approval processes). For more information about Texas A&M processes, see Global Partnership Services.

Ensure your department head and dean (if appropriate) are notified that you want to host this delegation and approve of the visit.

Notify the Department of Global Engagement of your intention to host this delegation after your department head approves. 
Complete the Visitor Delegation Notification/Request form and submit to Global Engagement.

Verify that your guests are eligible to enter the US and have been screened through the Export Control Office before they are invited to campus.
Depending on the export control screening, there may be locations on campus that they cannot visit, or it may not be possible to create partnerships between the visiting organization and Texas A&M. In addition, some partnerships and global engagements are considered “high risk” and require additional screening per Texas A&M System policy.

1. Identify the level of delegation members -- names, titles, role in their unit -- and the appropriate TAMU participants who may need to visit with them. The higher the level of the delegation members, the more time will be needed to facilitate involvement of appropriate Texas A&M counterparts. Let Global Engagement know about the level of visitors as soon as possible in the submission of the Delegation Intake Form.
   • Hosting Royalty, Country President, Ambassador, Ministry Official, high ranking government officials, etc., on campus requires additional resources and the involvement of upper leadership within the central University and in some cases, the System.
   • University President, Rector, Provost, etc. may require central University representation and coordination with other campus offices. The TAMU President’s Office will require advanced notification and an opportunity to evaluate whether the President should be involved or if it is more appropriate that an alternative representative from central administration participate.
   • Hosting visiting deans, department heads, and/or faculty do not require the same level of central administration involvement. Contact Global Engagement for information, checklists, and levels of assistance that can be provided in these situations.
2. Determine if the visit will involve the development or finalization of an international collaboration agreement.
   • Developing an international collaboration (MOA, MOU, etc.) begins with a review of the process on the Global Engagement website. Staff can help you with this process.
     • Negotiate a future collaborative agreement (this process can take many months to obtain approvals from Texas A&M and the partner institution).
     • Templates are available to use when beginning developing a collaborative agreement.
   • Hosting a signing ceremony
     • Preparing for a document signing ceremony requires multiple levels of planning and document review and approval. If you are intending to host a document signing ceremony, please contact Global Engagement staff as soon as possible to begin the necessary processes.

1. Participation by some high-ranking officials from Texas A&M or international partners may require collaboration with Global Engagement or other campus offices. Global Engagement will help you determine if this is the case. In such situations, you and Global Engagement will discuss and confirm roles and responsibilities.
2. Cultural protocols/customs
   • Be aware of cultural norms and expectations of the visitor when hosting a delegation on campus.
   • Take steps to ensure your guest is comfortable with the itinerary and other logistics to allow for a successful visit.
3. Gifts
   • It is important to understand what may or may not be an appropriate gift. Some cultures are sensitive to certain items.
   • Consider monetary value restrictions and your unit’s budget.
   • Consider the role your guest has at their institution and how significant/expensive/large should the gift be.
   • If your guest cannot travel with their gift, arrange to have it shipped to their institution.
   • Consider a written explanation of the significance of the gift you chose to give to the visitors. Would the meaning be “lost in translation?”
   • Confirm who is purchasing, preparing, delivering, and/or displaying the gift at the location where it will be presented.
4. Itinerary: While the itinerary will be unique for each visit, see the itinerary example if you need assistance.
   1. Meals and Accommodations
      • Be aware if there are dietary or cultural food restrictions for your guests.
      • Locate appropriate accommodations and caterers or local venues for your meal or reception events.
   2. Meetings
      • Based on the visit’s intended outcomes and level, these meetings can vary.
      • If the visitors have time in their agenda are there other units/ Colleges that would benefit from this visit?
      • Locate and reserve meeting spaces.
   3. Signing Ceremony
      • Global Engagement can provide you with information to plan and execute a signing ceremony.
      • Locate a space for the event.
      • Create a “Run of Show” with speakers and order of activities.
      • Consider participant invitations and whether a reception should be connected to the signing ceremony.
      • Decide whether there needs to be a photographer, press release(s) or marketing.
      • Ensure access to computer, printer, paper, and document on a thumb drive in the event there are last minute changes to the document.
   4. Tours
      • Campus locations
      • RELLIS locations
      • Specific buildings or labs (ensure that all visitors have export control clearance for restricted access facilities)
      • Community locations
   5. Transportation
      • On and off campus

1. Provide welcome packet with campus and/or community information or a welcome packet.
2. Provide basic comforts such as bottle of water, umbrellas, reserved parking spot, pens/paper, guest computer/Wi-Fi access, etc. as needed.
3. Contact information for all involved parties in case of emergency.
4. All parties have copies of:
   • Itinerary/agendas
   • Participant lists with roles
   • Contact information for the organizers and guests
5. Execute the itinerary, agenda, and/or run of show.

Upon the completion of the visit, meet with all those that played in role in the planning of the event.

• What was successful?
• What did not go according to plan?
• Did Global Engagement’s prepared documents and/or assistance meet the unit’s representative’s expectation?
• How can events be improved in the future?