Under a novel partnership signed Friday, Hawaii community college students will be able to transfer "seamlessly" to Pacific University in Oregon after completing two years of coursework, retaining all of their credits and getting on track to earn a bachelor’s degree from the private institution.

Observers said the agreement — between a public community college system and a private university in another state — may be unprecedented.

The partnership is part of a larger effort to provide greater support to community college students interested in making the transition to a four-year institution, University of Hawaii officials said. Transferring to UH four-year campuses from community colleges was made easier years ago, and now there is an interest in helping students who may want to pursue a bachelor’s degree on the mainland.

John Morton, vice president for UH community colleges, said about 700 Hawaii community college students transfer to mainland institutions each year. About 1,400 head to UH four-year campuses.

"We just want to make sure that the path (to a four-year campus) is as smooth as possible," Morton said. "When they have a clear path, they do better."

Pacific University approached UH about the agreement as it looked for ways to support the institution’s large contingent of Hawaii residents. About one-fifth of Pacific University’s 1,700 undergraduates are from Hawaii.

With the ceremonial signing of the agreement Friday, Pacific University also officially opened an administrative office in Hono­lulu. The office will serve as a recruiting hub as well as a place for alumni gatherings.

Pacific University President Lesley Hallick said the school isn’t quite sure how many students will take advantage of the community college agreement, at least in the first few years.

But the school is interested in growing its undergraduate enrollment by about 300 students over the next decade.

Hallick added that signing the agreement with UH community colleges was about strengthening the link between the Oregon college and Hawaii.

"For us it was pretty natural," she said of entering the partnership. "We’ve had a very long history of having students from Hawaii. They’re a big part of our community."

Pacific University is a nonprofit institution in Forest Grove, Ore. — 27 miles west of Portland — and has been attracting students from the islands for more than 70 years.

This school year, tuition and fees at the school totaled $35,260, not counting room and board. By comparison, in-state tuition at UH-Manoa was $9,034 for full-time students in the 2012-13 school year.

Hallick said while it is more expensive to attend a private university, students can qualify for merit and need-based aid and other funding sources to bring down costs.

"It’s very important to look at the financial aid package," she said.

Pacific University officials said Friday they believe the school is the first mainland private college to establish a "full-time operational presence" in Hawaii.

Under the memorandum of agreement signed Friday, Hawaii community college students who have completed an associate’s degree will be able to enter Pacific University as juniors. The students will have to qualify for admission but will not have to take a college entrance exam.

Tony Pals, director of communications with the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, said the partnership is rare because it crosses state lines.

"It’s not unusual today to find private institutions that have articulation agreements with local public two-year institutions. However, it is uncommon to see a partnership like the one with Pacific University," he said.

Pals added that the agreement is part of a broader push in recent years by private, four-year institutions to "engage community colleges and strengthen the academic pipeline between the two." Increasingly, schools are not only allowing for an easy transition, but are offering dual enrollment, targeted financial aid programs and extra support to transferring community college students, he said.

Edna Gehring, who runs support services for students with disabilities at Pacific University and also serves as adviser for the school’s Hawaii club, said isle students have been hearing about Pacific mostly through word of mouth.

Gehring, known as "Auntie Edna" by students, said Pacific University is popular with students from Hawaii because when they arrive they don’t feel lost, as they might in larger mainland institutions.

"It’s the support system," she said.