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Understanding on Education Between the Government of The United States of America and the Government of Denmark

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of Denmark, herein after referred to as the Participants desiring to promote better understanding between the peoples of the United States of America and Denmark, to strengthen the relationships between the two countries through education, and to improve the education systems of each country believing that the expansion of mutually beneficial cooperation and exchanges facilitates the achievement of these aims, and desiring to strengthen the links already existing between the educational communities in both countries, have reached the following understandings:

ARTICLE I: GENERAL PRINCIPLES

The Participants intend to enhance and expand cooperative efforts in education according to the following general principles:

  1. The Participants plan to encourage and develop cooperation and exchanges in the field of education on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, and reciprocity.

  2. Such exchanges and cooperation are subject to the constitutional and applicable laws and regulations of the respective countries, and to the availability of funds. Within this framework, the Participants intend to make every effort to promote favorable conditions for the fulfillment of this cooperation and these exchanges.

  3. The cooperation contemplated in this Understanding is not intended to affect relations currently established between educational agencies, institutions, or school systems of the Participants. Rather, the Participants intend to identify new areas for joint activities, or, where deemed appropriate by all concerned, to strengthen or expand existing programs.

ARTICLE II: METHODS OF COOPERATION

In carrying out the general principles of this Understanding, the Participants intend to:

  1. Encourage and facilitate closer relationships between educational agencies and offices, schools and school systems, postsecondary institutions, appropriate educational organizations, business, labor and other educational stakeholders in the two countries, with special emphasis on vocational education initiatives that support systemic innovations as well as institutional partnerships between Danish Technical and Business Colleges and United States Community Colleges.

  2. Encourage mutually beneficial educational activities involving researchers, scholars, faculty members, teachers, educational administrators, students and other specialists to lecture, teach, conduct research, and develop cooperative programs, in higher education and secondary education.

The Participants intend to emphasize:

  1. Cooperation that facilitates exchanges and dialogue centered on vocational and technical education, methods, evaluation and research, as well as apprenticeship programs and work based learning.

  2. Introducing an international dimension into vocational and technical education through development of new learning methods and courses, sharing expertise and innovation, and sharing experience in quality assessment, benchmarking and skill standards.

ARTICLE III: ORGANIZATION AND COOPERATION

  1. The executive agency for fulfilling the Understanding for the United States of America is the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of State. The executive agency for fulfilling the Understanding for the Government of Denmark is the Ministry of Education, in consultation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Each executive agency may designate an entity within such agency to coordinate functions under this Understanding.

  2. The Participants expect to create a Steering Group that will meet periodically to review the implementation of this Understanding and to develop specific programs of mutual benefit within its framework. At these meetings, which may include representatives of other interested organizations as appropriate, the participants also intend to exchange views on the state of educational cooperation between the two countries. The preparation for such meetings, their timing and their agendas, should be established through appropriate channels.

ARTICLE IV: METHOD OF IMPLEMENTATION

  1. Specific activities to be undertaken under this Understanding which have been decided upon by both executive agencies are included in the Annex.

  2. Additional annexes may provide for new activities as mutually decided by the executive agencies.

ARTICLE V: FINANCING

Unless otherwise decided, each executive agency shall bear the costs of its participation.

ARTICLE VI: TERM OF UNDERSTANDING

Activities under this Understanding commence December 1, 2000, and continue until December 31, 2003. The Understanding may be extended for successive three-year periods unless one Participant notifies the other of the termination thereof no later than June 30, 2003, or not less than six months prior to the expiration of any such three year period.

DONE at Washington, D.C., in duplicate, this 16th day of November, 2000. Richard W. Riley, FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES OF AMERICA FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF DENMARK

ANNEX

ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN IN 2000-2003 UNDER UNDERSTANDING ON EDUCATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF DENMARK

In the implementation of the Understanding, the Participants intend to focus on the following activities for the period December 1, 2000 through December 31, 2003.

In carrying out these activities, the Participants note that both governments have, through parallel action, dedicated financial and other resources to programs or projects that should further the purposes of the Understanding.

  1. The Participants intend to explore the possibilities of cooperation, information sharing, and research relating to the development of skill standards, curriculum, assessment and teacher development in areas of common interest.

  2. The Participants intend to explore collaborative efforts regarding the effective use of technology resources to improve: business and vocational education in colleges; practical training; applied learning and distance education.

  3. The Participants intend to explore the possibilities of carrying out a project related to the theme of joint development of learning organizations (and related pedagogy) and institutional partnerships.

  4. The Participants intend to explore the possibilities of implementing educational exchanges between the two countries during the period covered by this Annex. The Participants intend that the focus of this activity should be on personnel involved in helping educational institutions and other educational stakeholders develop joint programs in manufacturing technology and communications technology and other areas of common interest.

  5. The Participants intend to explore areas for continued cooperation at all levels of postsecondary education, including matters relating to vocational education and training.

  6. The Participants intend to continue to build support for joint activities having a special emphasis on creating partnerships between education and business.

  7. The Participants may determine to carry out other activities during the period of this Annex, such determinations to be made through an exchange of letters.


 
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Last Modified: 10/16/2007