Institutional Linkages: A Key to Successful International Exchange

As we approach a new era of international re lations, institutional linkages—planned, long-term agreements between universities to cooperate along mutually beneficial lines—should form the basis for expanded and increasingly valuable international exchange. From an institutional per spective, there are various types of exchanges, each with its own purpose, clientele, and use. Institutional linkage en compassing these exchanges can take various forms. Link ages offer advantages by encouraging planned use of re sources and, particularly at unit levels within universities, drawing on new resources of support. They can add to the quality of both faculty and student exchange. In relations with some non-Western countries, institutional cooperative agreements based on gain for both sides are an appropriate and timely replacement for assistance contracts and can help to correct past deficiencies in exchange programs. While other bases of expanded exchange programming exist and should be encouraged, the institutional focus provides ad vantages of size, diversity, and resources which give it ad vantages in the foreseeable future. There is a study now in progress to appraise various means of encouraging produc tive higher educational relations between the United States and other countries. One alternative being examined is the proposed new Association for International Cooperation in Higher Education and Research (AICHER) which would assist in the formation of institutional linkages.