RAWLINS (WNE) — For the past five years, students in many popular degree programs at Wyoming community colleges have been able to seamlessly transfer to the University of Wyoming as a result of dozens of “2-plus-2” articulation agreements between academic departments of UW and the institutions.

That collaboration is taking another step forward, with the aim of providing all community college students with the assurance that courses they’re taking will meet requirements for bachelor’s degrees at the university.

UW and the state’s seven community colleges have announced plans for a “universal 2-plus-2” partnership, setting the stage for UW agreements with each college, rather than the department-by-department approach.

The agreements will outline the transfer assurances for all students, regardless of the individual academic discipline, according to the release.

While the new university and college-level agreements are being developed, all participating colleges pledge to honor current program-level articulation agreements and provide continuity of service to the students of Wyoming. The target for completion of the new agreements is the end of the current calendar year.

“We’re excited to take this next step with our community college partners to provide a transfer experience that is as seamless as possible for students from the colleges to the university,” UW President Ed Seidel said in the release.

“The articulation universal memorandum of understanding (MOU) between UW and the community colleges is the next step in broadening articulation for student retention and completion,” said Sandy Caldwell, executive director of the Wyoming Community College Commission.