UMAP currently comprises approximately 25 countries/territories with over 250 active member institutions. As UMAP has a broad network in the Asia-Pacific region, there are many unique programs offered by its members. 

Click  here to see the list of counties eligible to join the UMAP consortium or check out our current Member Directory!

Join UMAP

You can join UMAP by taking the following steps:

1. Check whether your country/territory is eligible for UMAP membership. All countries touching the Pacific Ocean, as well as those in Central and South Asia are potentially eligible to participate.  Contact the UMAP National Secretariat (UMAP NS) responsible for your country or territory and request their endorsement. If your country/territory does not have a UMAP NS, please contact UMAP International Secretariat (UMAP IS).

(Note: Only accredited institutions of higher learning from UMAP member countries/regions are eligible to participate in UMAP Student Exchange Programs.)

2. With the endorsement of your National Secretariat, your institution is eligible to join UMAP. Please download the template for the “Pledge of Agreement.” The Pledge of Agreement must be digitally signed by the authorized person at your institution and then emailed to the UMAP International Secretariat for finalization. A digital copy with authorized signatures will then be sent to you for your records.

3. Once the “Pledge of Agreement” is confirmed by the UMAP IS, your institution becomes a UMAP member!  The UMAP IS will notify you how to access the UMAP Student Connection Online (USCO) System. You are required to register Coordinator Information as well as Institution Information in the system in order to participate in UMAP programs.  All program activity, including program registration, student nomination, and acceptance of students, takes place through this system.

Benefits of UMAP Membership

By signing the Pledge of Agreement, your institution has access to hundreds of potential partners.  Institutions can use UMAP programs to reach their strategic internationalization goals.  With access to UMAP programs, institutions can send students for semester-long or short-term study experiences in other countries.  They can strengthen their Internationalization at Home strategy by hosting international students from other countries.  Institutions can offer short or long-term courses that highlight their areas of strength and expertise.  They can find partner institutions in strategic countries for institutional collaboration, such as offering Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) courses.  In addition to offering opportunities for student exchange, UMAP also offers networking and professional development activities for faculty, staff, and administrators, and offers small grants for research projects.

Responsibilities of UMAP members

The following are the responsibilities of UMAP members:
Each UMAP participating institution has to serve as a Home and Host Institution.

The roles of Home and Host Institutions are as follows:

Home Institutions

  1. Select participants.
  2. Approve the study programs, including any necessary language training, to be undertaken by participants.
  3. Determine the level of financial support, if any, to be given to participants.
  4. Provide appropriate preparatory courses for participants prior to their departure.
  5. Recognize work completed overseas by accepting credits using the UCTS.

Host Institutions

  1. Provide the agreed study programs for participants.
  2. Evaluate the performance of participants and provide transcripts to home institutions.
  3. Provide appropriate orientation and other support services to participants.
  4. Assist participants in securing appropriate accommodations at a reasonable cost.
  5. Ensure that appropriate healthcare arrangements are made for participants.

Participation in UMAP Exchange Programs

After you have become a member of UMAP, in order to become eligible to participate in Program A&B exchanges, you must first  post course offerings in the USCO system. Program offerings can be submitted by completing and submitting a program template  through USCO System during the ‘Call for Proposals’ period. The UMAP IS will issue a call for programs to member institutions by making an announcement through the website news and via email.

*Note: Only universities/institutions that offer Program A/B opportunities in any application cycle are eligible to send outbound Program A/B exchange students.*

Questions?

Please refer to the FAQ page or leave us a message on the Contact us page.