Visiting Collaborator

As a Carnegie Tier One research university, the University of North Texas takes great pride in the partnerships and research collaborations we have built with universities and organizations worldwide. UNT is a place where people from every culture and background come together to advance global knowledge.

Every year, UNT welcomes Visiting Collaborators to work with faculty hosts on research or scholarly activities to strengthen the mission of the University in pursuit of advancing their discipline.  We are committed to fostering collaborative partnerships while promoting full transparency about our relationships.

A Visiting Collaborator is eligible to use office space, have access to resources (e.g. libraries), and have a University email address and identification card. To grant access and remain in compliance with University policy, UNT System regulations, Regents Rules, export control and U.S. immigration laws, the approval process may take up to 4 months. Please plan accordingly.

IMPORTANT NOTE:   Host departments cannot accept or allow any potential Visiting Collaborator to conduct any such engagement with the University until all approvals have been completed. Host departments should not provide any letters of invitation to a prospective Visiting Collaborator; all letters will be issued from the Office of Academic Resources upon successful completion of the review process.

What is a Visiting Collaborator?

A Visiting Collaborator is not an employee of UNT or the UNT System. Visiting Collaborator come to the University of North Texas on a temporary basis to collaborate on research and scholarly topics of mutual interests or to work on specific research to be conducted within University facilities.

Hosting a Visiting Collaborator is encouraged when the collaboration is consistent with the mission and desired outcomes of UNT and when the College and/or Departmental unit provides a faculty host to facilitate resource access and adequate space is available for the visitor.

Eligibility & Qualifications

Individuals eligible to be a UNT Visiting Collaborator:

• Must be employed by another institution of higher education and hold faculty-equivalent credentials or have noted subject matter expertise in a particular area.
• Must NOT be a current UNT system enterprise employee or UNT system enterprise employee separated within the last 12-months.
• Must demonstrate a capacity to contribute to the research and/or creative mission of the University.
• Must pass a criminal history background check.
• Must pass all required export control reviews conducted by the University.
• Must comply with mandatory University training requirements.
• Must receive an official letter of invitation from the Office of the Provost, Academic Resources.

Prior approval must be obtained before extending an invitation to a Visiting Collaborator. The decision to host Visiting Collaborator is not a unilateral faculty decision. This decision requires the input from many UNT stakeholders. The hosting faculty member is responsible for obtaining key information from the potential Visiting Collaborator and being actively engaged in the approval process. The information gathering, review, and approval must precede a formal invitation for the scholar to visit UNT.

If a Visiting Collaborator has created intellectual property prior to visiting UNT, they should alert the Research Commercial Agreements team through researchcontracts@unt.edu to ensure proper documentation is in place before the collaboration begins.

Host Department Responsibilities

A UNT faculty host's primary responsibility is facilitating Visiting Collaborator. The faculty host serves as the administrative liaison between UNT stakeholders and Visiting Collaborator during their visit.

Hosting departments are required to ensure that Visiting Collaborator are engaged and supported throughout their stay, including opportunities for cultural exchange and regular interactions.  The hosting department must inform the Office of Academic Resources if at any time the Visiting Collaborator will be working on a sponsored project that was not documented on the original request (regardless of the amount of time) or if any changes to the collaboration occur.

Office of Academic Resources Responsibilities and Support

The Office of Academic Resources oversees the administrative processing of Visiting Collaborator and will route the request through all necessary approval channels. Once approved, Academic Resources issues the official Invitation Letter to prospective Visiting Collaborator.

After the completion of all required approvals, a clear criminal history background check, and compliance with mandatory University training, the Office of Academic Resources issues UNT credentials to the Visiting Collaborator.

The Office of Academic Resources will also oversee the Visiting Collaborator annual renewal process, ensuring that all necessary documentation and approvals are in place for scholars to continue their work at UNT.

Required Documentation 

In order to request approval for a Visiting Collaborator, the following forms/documents must be submitted to the Office of Academic Resources. These agreements ensure a clear understanding of intellectual property ownership and protect confidential information shared during the visit.

• Visiting Scholar Request Form
• CV of the Visiting Collaborator
• ID/Passport of the Visiting Collaborator
• Visiting Collaborator Agreement (VSA)
• Confidential Disclosure Agreement (CDA) (Adobe PDF)

Fulbright Visiting Collaborator should complete the following documents:

• Visiting Collaborator Request Form
• Fulbright Visiting Collaborator Agreement (Fulbright VSA)
• Confidential Disclosure Agreement - Fulbright (Fulbright CDA) (Adobe PDF)

Visa Information

For international Visiting Scholars requiring a J-1 visa, UNT International Affairs manages the process, ensuring compliance with U.S. immigration laws after the Visiting Collaborator has been approved to participate at UNT by the Office of Academic Resources. Please review the UNT International Affairs website which contains information about hosting a J-1 Exchange Visitor and contact jinfo@unt.edu for more information.

Prior approval must be obtained before extending an invitation to a visiting collaborator. The decision to host an international visiting collaborator is not a unilateral faculty decision. This decision requires the input from many UNT stakeholders. The hosting faculty member is responsible for obtaining key information from the potential visiting collaborator and for being engaged in the approval process. The information gathering, review, and approval must precede a formal invitation for the collaborator to visit UNT.