COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF GENOA
AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF …...................

The University of …...... [full address], hereinafter also referred to as XXXX, in the person of its pro-tempore legal representative, the Rector, Professor …....................., acting on the basis of the provisions contained in Ministerial Decree no. …...... of ….......... / [other legislative provisions] and
the University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy, hereinafter also referred to as UniGe, in the person of its pro-tempore legal representative, the Rector, Professor Federico Delfino, acting on the basis of the provisions contained in Ministerial Decree no. 820 of 30th October 2020, singly referred to in this Agreement as 'the party' or jointly as 'the parties':
 
PREAMBLE
 
− pursuing the same goals in the areas of learning, research and the dissemination of culture;
− being committed to the direct application and recognition of the importance and the use of knowledge as a contributor to social, cultural and economic development;
− having a reciprocal interest in constructing and developing relations of international cooperation;  
The Parties agree as follows:
 
Article 1: Objective
 
XXXX and UniGe shall seek to establish forms of cooperation in teaching, science, management and culture that contribute to the development and consolidation of the ties of friendship between the two academic institutions and the two countries on the basis of the principles of equality and reciprocal benefit.
Cooperation between the Parties may be developed through:
− mobility of undergraduate and post-graduate students, lecturers and professors, researchers, and technical and administrative personnel;
−  implementation of undergraduate, post-graduate and PhD courses issuing joint or double degrees;
− collaboration in activities of particular scientific interest also through the sharing of experience in the use of complex technical/scientific apparatus;
− exchange of information, documents and scientific publications;
− cultural initiatives of common interest such as seminars, lessons and study meetings;
− development of initiatives aimed at improving governance and management;
− development of joint projects to be presented for funding by the European Commission or other supranational organisations;
− actions targeted at communicating and disseminating knowledge acquired within the framework of this agreement through direct relations with the Parties' operating environment and its actors.

Article 2: Contact persons
 
To implement the activities foreseen in article 1 each Party shall designate at least one contact person chosen from within its institution who shall be responsible for coordinating and promoting jointly the common lines of actions, verifying periodically the state of implementation and assessing and promoting collaboration projects in the areas of teaching, scientific research and management.
The Parties hereby appoint as contact persons: Prof/Dr …............. for XXXX and Prof/Dr ….... for UniGe.  
 
Article 3: Implementation agreements
 
Forms of cultural and scientific cooperation in sectors of interest in addition to the mobility of lecturers and professors, researchers, and technical and administrative personnel will be regulated by dedicated executive projects and related implementation agreements between the two Universities or their related bodies such as Departments, Schools, etc. with a specific interest in such projects. These projects and agreements shall comply with this Agreement and current legislation.
The implementation agreements shall regulate the ways in which cooperation between the Parties take place and specify in particular the following areas: teaching, research, organisation, finance & management. Such agreements shall establish the property rights relating to the results produced by cooperation, how the results will be used, in addition to specific aspects concerning safety and insurance cover.

Article 4: Duration, termination, renewal
 
This Agreement shall come into effect upon the signature of both Parties; the date of the last signature thereof taking precedence. This Agreement shall remain in effect for five years. Each Party may terminate the Agreement by serving six months’ written notice and supplying adequate motivation for termination. Any activity in progress at the moment of termination or expiry of this Agreement shall be completed in accordance with the conditions established in the activity's specific implementation agreement.
On termination of this Agreement, the contact names indicated in article 2 shall jointly prepare a report on the activities carried out and the results achieved. The contact names shall also jointly prepare an intermediate report providing the same details after three years from the coming into effect of this Agreement.
In the event of renewal of this Agreement, the Parties may confirm, amplify or modify the objectives of this Agreement and the methods of implementation, subject to the approval of the respective competent bodies .
 
Article 5: Intellectual Property Rights
 
Each party remains the owner of its prior knowledge. The own results are the property of the party that generated them. The joint results belong jointly to the parties, in proportion to their material, human, intellectual and financial contributions. The conditions of management and exploitation of the joint results shall be formalized by a specific joint ownership agreement concluded by the parties as soon as it is necessary.
 
Article 6: Confidentiality of Information
 
The Parties shall take all reasonable steps not to divulge to third parties any confidential data or information acquired in relation to or in the carrying out of the activities foreseen by this Agreement.  
 
Article 7: Costs, assistance and support
 
With the aim of carrying out the activities foreseen by this Agreement, the Parties shall raise the necessary economic resources within the limits of and in accordance with legislation in force in their countries. Where funds provided by outside bodies, such as Government Ministries, Supranational entities, public and private entities, the European Commission etc., are not assigned to a project, the cost of this project shall be met by the technical/scientific body or bodies directly involved in the project,  after appropriate financial feasibility checks. All costs shall be specified in the specific implementation agreements.  
Each Party shall provide, in accordance with their respective laws and regulations, all necesssary assistance and support to visiting students, teaching staff, researchers and technical and administrative personnel as established in specific implementation agreements.  
During the exchange period the students, under condition of reciprocity, are exempted from tuition fees and contribution in host university.

Article 8: Safety
 
As regards safety in the workplace for visiting members of staff of the partner University, where the host University belongs to an EU Member State, the host University shall conform to applicable European Union legislation; where the host University belongs to a non-EU Member State, the host University shall conform to applicable national legislation.    
 
Article 9: Insurance
 
In accordance with the applicable provisions in force in their respective countries, both Parties shall verify the insurance cover, including healthcare, of participating members.

-	UniGe provides mobility students and staff with an insurance coverage for civil liability and accidents. The insurance policy states terms and conditions of the coverage. Students and staff must acquire, at their own expense, an additional insurance policy to be adequately covered if necessary.
-	University of……………………….. (please fill in)…………………………..

 Where the implementation agreements set forth in article 3 foresee scientific and laboratory activities, such implementation agreements shall specify the details of insurance cover.    

Article 10: Handling of Personal Data
 
The Parties mutually agree to set up as independent holders of the processing of personal data, each within the purposes pursued and its activities competence, as they define independently the purposes and means of the processing. The Parties ensure to collect and process the data, where the host University belongs to an EU Member State, respecting the principles referred to in article 5 of the Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data) or, where the host University belongs to a non-EU Member State, in accordance with the respective national legislation and they are committed to each provide to interested parties the information on the processing of personal data inclusive of data communication and of the exercise of the rights in relation to the purposes pursued with this Agreement.
 
Article 11: Incompatibility
 
The Parties declare that none of the personnel participating in the activities foreseen by this Cooperation Agreement find themselves in a situation that might give rise to incompatibility or conflicts of interest pursuant to applicable national legislations and that the related provisions of such legislations shall be  respected at all times.
 
Article 12: Disputes and Final Provisions
 
The Parties consider this Cooperation Agreement as a declaration of intent that does not have the legal force of a formal legal contract. The Parties agree therefore wherever possible to seek an amicable resolution of any dispute.
The specific cooperation initiatives described will be started only where sufficient economic resources exist; no Party shall be obliged to participate in or develop an activity for which external or internal resources are not already available.
The resolution of any disputes arising during the carrying out of any executive project as referred to in article 3 shall conform to the provisions established in the project's specific implementation agreement.  
In all cases, the present Academic Cooperation Agreement shall apply solely to the extent it does not contradict applicable national legislation.
The present Agreement is signed in ….... copies in English, Italian and ….... . The Parties receive one copy in each language. In case of inconsistency of interpretation, the English text shall prevail over the language texts.

 
Genoa, [date]						[place],  [date]
 
For the University of Genoa				For the University of …................
The Rector                                                        	The Rector
Professor Federico Delfino				….......................................

                                                                                       

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