Description

An Educational Partnering Agreement (EPA) serves to establish the basis for cooperative interactions between ERDC and an educational institution, primarily to promote and enhance science and engineering education.

Authority

EPAs are authorized by 10 USC 2194. The law authorizes the director of each defense laboratory to enter into EPAs with educational institutions in the United States for the purpose of encouraging and enhancing study in scientific disciplines at all levels of education.

When an EPA is Appropriate

An EPA is appropriate if there is a mutual interest between the parties involved in having the laboratory provide assistance to the educational institution by:

• Loaning laboratory equipment to the institution;
• Transferring laboratory equipment that has been determined by the laboratory director to be surplus;
• Making laboratory personnel available to teach science courses or to assist in the development of science courses and materials for the institution;
• Involving faculty and students of the institution in laboratory research projects;
• Cooperating with the institution in developing a program under which students may be given academic credit for work on laboratory research projects; and
• Providing academic and career advice and assistance to students of the institution.

Who May Participate in an EPA

• Academic institutions (U.S.)

Eligible educational institutions are local education agencies (legally constituted authority for administrative control for public elementary or secondary schools), colleges, universities and any other nonprofit institutions that are dedicated to improving science, mathematics and engineering education.