Dual degree: building a solid academic partnership between institutions

A dual degree is always appealing because of its promise: offering students two certifications, two networks, two academic cultures, in a single course of study. But this promise is only worth anything if the agreement underpinning it is solid, precise and validated by the competent bodies of both institutions. Building a dual degree partnership is demanding academic and legal work, which is never limited to a joint declaration of intent.

What a dual degree really is

A dual degree refers to an arrangement whereby a student, by following a course of study defined jointly by two institutions, obtains at the end two distinct degrees, each awarded under the responsibility of the institution that confers it. This arrangement differs from other forms of academic cooperation:

• the joint programme, where the institutions build a common curriculum together without necessarily each awarding a separate degree;
• the offshore degree, where an institution offers its own degree at a different site, in partnership with a local institution;
• student or teacher exchanges, which organise mobility without altering the structure of the final degree.

A dual degree can never be announced publicly until an agreement has been signed by both parties and validated by their respective bodies. Any premature communication exposes the institutions concerned and misleads applicants.

The preconditions for a solid agreement

Genuine complementarity, not merely declared

A dual degree partnership works when the two institutions bring an identifiable complementarity: a different geographical position, a distinct specialisation, access to a complementary professional network, or academic recognition that benefits both parties mutually. This complementarity must be documented before any negotiation, not simply asserted in a presentation brochure.

A preliminary educational study

Before any signature, the teaching teams of both institutions must compare:

• the competence frameworks targeted by each degree;
• the teaching hours and assessment methods;
• the possible equivalences of credits or blocks of competences;
• the admission prerequisites of each institution.

This study makes it possible to determine whether a common course of study can really be built, or whether the gaps between the two curricula make the arrangement difficult to implement as it stands.

A rigorous legal study

A dual degree agreement engages the responsibility of each institution for the degree it awards. It must specify without ambiguity:

• which of the two institutions awards each degree, and under what authority;
• the conditions of award (attendance, validation of modules, actual mobility);
• the period of validity of the agreement and the arrangements for its renewal or termination;
• the handling of special situations (a student who interrupts their mobility, a dispute, a change in the status of an institution).

The steps of a dual degree partnership

1. Initial contact between the institutions and mutual presentation of their positioning.
2. Identification of the academic and professional complementarities justifying the partnership.
3. Joint educational and legal study of the curricula, the frameworks and the conditions of award.
4. Precise definition of the partnership: structure of the course of study, mobility, equivalences, timetable.
5. Validation by the governing bodies of each institution, according to their respective internal procedures.
6. Signature of the partnership agreement, formalising all the reciprocal commitments.
7. Roll-out to the teaching and administrative teams concerned.
8. Monitoring of the arrangement, with regular progress reviews between the two institutions.

Each of these steps must be completed before the next. Communicating publicly about a dual degree before the agreement is signed, or before validation by the competent bodies, is a mistake that undermines the credibility of both institutions.

What this means for an institution building its network of partnerships

For an education group that develops academic partnerships, as BSG Group does with private and public institutions, the rigour of this process is not an obstacle but a guarantee. A poorly prepared dual degree partnership exposes you to concrete difficulties: students stuck between two assessment systems, contested degrees, or termination of the agreement while students are already enrolled.

Conversely, a well-constructed agreement becomes a lasting development asset: it broadens the training offer without diluting quality, opens an institution up to a wider academic network, and reassures families and companies alike about the solidity of the course of study offered.

An institution considering such a partnership must also plan for long-term monitoring: designation of a contact person on each side, a timetable of progress reviews, a procedure for handling complex individual situations. This monitoring determines the success of the arrangement as much as its initial design.

Essential points to watch

• Never announce a dual degree before the agreement is signed and validated by the governing bodies of both institutions.
• Check that each degree mentioned in the agreement corresponds to a certified reality: national diploma, RNCP qualification, or a degree specific to the institution that awards it.
• State in all public communication which institution awards which degree, without suggesting that a single institution awards both.
• Provide for exit and transition clauses for students already enrolled in the event of the agreement ending.

FAQ

Can a dual degree be announced before the agreement is signed?

No. No public communication about a dual degree should take place before the agreement has been signed by both institutions and validated by their respective bodies.

What is the difference between a dual degree and a joint programme?

A dual degree leads to the award of two distinct degrees, each under the responsibility of the institution that confers it. A joint programme is an educational cooperation that does not necessarily involve the award of two separate degrees.

How long does it take to build a dual degree partnership?

The timeframe depends on the complexity of the curricula to be aligned and on each institution's internal validation procedures. The educational and legal study, followed by validation by the governing bodies, are generally the longest steps in the process.

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Do you represent a university or an institution and would like to explore an academic partnership with BSG Group? Find out about the process on become a partner.