Custom Programs, like international education as a whole, offer valuable opportunities for intercollegiate and interdisciplinary collaborations. We encourage faculty to partner with colleagues in other departments, colleges, or universities domestically or abroad whenever possible.

All Custom Programs involve third-party contractors: a program provider company, a non-profit organization, another university, a travel agency, a hotel, or other logistical support entities. In all cases, Experiential Global Learning must source and contract formally with third-party contractors before faculty may undertake collaborations on program development.

Sourcing

The university requires formal contracts with all third-party contractors. Experiential Global Learning, in conjunction with Procurement Services and General Counsel, handles all contractual elements to ensure compliance with university policy and state and federal laws. Faculty do not possess authority to negotiate or sign these contracts on behalf of UConn.

Before program leaders reach out to any potential third-party contractors, they must meet with Experiential Global Learning to discuss their program ideas and submit their program proposal for review and approval. At that point, Experiential Global Learning will conduct a sourcing review to assess whether the program requires informal or formal solicitation of contractor bidding. The review process may take several weeks to even several months to complete, given the level of communication among the third-party contractor, Experiential Global Learning, Procurement Services, and General Counsel. If any program leaders collaborate with third-party contractors and produce a quote for services without Experiential Global Learning, their program will be considered unauthorized and prohibited.