Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) Management System for International Affairs Division

10 Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) Management System for International Affairs Division A.W.S. Haseeba1, M.S.S. Perera2, A.W.S. Aamina3, K.S.L. Gunawardena4 Department of Information Technology, Faculty of Management Studies and Commerce University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka 1[email protected], 2sayona[email protected], 3[email protected]m, 4[email protected] Abstract Managing Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) at the International Affairs Division of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura has been a manual and inefficient process, resulting in significant delays, misplaced documents, and poor tracking of renewal deadlines. On average, processing MoUs took two to three weeks, leading to administrative bottlenecks and missed collaboration opportunities. To address these challenges, a web-based MoU Management System was developed to automate key processes such as MoU creation, approval tracking, renewal notifications, and reporting. The system centralizes MoU data, streamlines workflows, and reduces administrative workload while improving data accuracy. Automated reminders prevent missed renewals, and a user-friendly dashboard provides real-time updates to stakeholders, including administrators and faculty coordinators. Security measures, such as role-based access controls and data encryption, protect sensitive information. The system was developed using the Agile methodology, incorporating stakeholder feedback in iterative development cycles. Flask and Django Representational State Transfer Framework were used for backend operations, while MySQL ensured structured and secure data management. The front end was designed with HTML, Tailwind CSS, and JavaScript, prioritizing usability. Tools like python-docx and SendGrid facilitated automated document generation and email notifications. Extensive testing, including unit, integration, and usability tests, validated the system’s reliability, efficiency, and user-friendliness. By reducing reliance on manual processes, this system enhances operational efficiency and ensures timely MoU renewals. Automated reporting and email notifications improve decision-making while minimizing administrative effort. Future enhancements, such as mobile accessibility and advanced search capabilities, will further optimize the system, enabling the university to manage its international collaborations more effectively. Keywords: MoU Management, Academic Collaboration, Digital Workflow Automation, Agile Development