Dear friends and colleagues,
As we approach the end of another academic year, many of our member institutions are immersed in one of the busiest periods of the calendar: exams, juries, performances, graduations, and preparations for welcoming a new generation of students. Amidst these many responsibilities, we would like to take a moment to share some of the latest developments, opportunities, and initiatives from across the AEC community.
This month’s newsletter highlights AEC’s continued advocacy efforts at European level, including our joint statement with EPASA on the future of Erasmus+ and our participation in discussions on the next EU budget. We also look at exciting developments in innovation and technology through the MUSIC4D project, where musicians and artificial intelligence are exploring new forms of artistic collaboration. In addition, you can read about MusiQuE’s newly adopted strategy for 2026–2030 and its ambitions to further strengthen quality enhancement and support for the sector.
Finally, we warmly encourage you to explore the Call for Contributions for the AEC Annual Congress 2026 in Hamburg. For the first time, we are opening the shaping of the Congress programme to AEC members and the wider community, creating new opportunities to co-create our flagship annual event through interactive and participatory formats.
We hope you will find inspiration in these and other stories and opportunities, and we thank you for your continued commitment to strengthening higher music education in Europe and beyond.
Finn Schumacker
AEC Executive Director
AEC is actively advocating for robust funding and structural visibility for higher music education as negotiations intensify for the EU’s next long-term budget and the new AgoraEU programme. This update highlights AEC’s ongoing work to shape the EU Artists’ Charter and the upcoming AI strategy to ensure they reflect the specific needs of the music education sector.
AEC is inviting members to help shape the 2026 Annual Congress in Hamburg by submitting proposals for its first-ever open Call for Contributions by 10 June. This is a unique opportunity for students, teachers, and leaders to co-create an interactive program focused on responsive education and relevant artistic practices.
On 21 and 22 May 2026, the AEC brought two workshops on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and Special Educational Needs (SEN) to HKU Conservatorium Utrecht, marking a significant moment in the AEC's ongoing commitment to building a more inclusive Higher Music Education sector.
From Ghent to Stavanger, AEC has been actively engaging with partners across Europe to champion the future of higher arts education and international collaboration. These recent highlights showcase our contributions to the IN.TUNE Summit in Vienna, strategic discussions on Global South partnerships, and high-level advocacy for the music sector at the EUphoria event in Brussels.
AEC and EPASA have released a joint statement outlining key priorities to make the Erasmus+ programme more inclusive, digital-ready, and less administratively burdensome for the arts sector. This advocacy effort was further amplified at the Erasmus+ Coalition meeting in Brussels, where AEC joined European partners to push for a stronger, better-funded programme in the upcoming EU budget.
AEC is launching a survey to explore how member institutions are adapting orchestral training to include new repertoires, such as film, media, and gaming, and innovative performance formats. We invite Heads of Orchestral Studies to share their insights by 15 July to help map the current landscape of external course recognition and the evolving professional needs of young musicians.
The AEC Network for Green Officers brings together staff working on environmental sustainability and the green transition within AEC member institutions. Interested? There is still time to join.
The AEC Digitisation Working Group met in Brussels on 18–19 May 2026 to discuss AI, digital tools and the future of conservatoire education, including the development of a new benchmarking survey for member institutions.
The EASY MO Task Force invites all internal users to an online consultation on 19 June to share updates, gather feedback, and plan future steps for the platform. Additionally, users can look forward to the annual in-person EASY workshop in Trento on 2 September, with registrations opening in early June alongside the IRC Meeting.
Discover five webinars reflecting the diversity of contemporary artistic research practices, combining theoretical reflection with practical examples and institutional perspectives. Across the five sessions, speakers explore themes including interdisciplinarity, doctoral education, quality assurance, evaluation, and international networking.
The MUSIC4D project recently blurred the lines between classical music and technology during a workshop at the University of Calabria, featuring a live co-performance between a human orchestra and the AI-driven RoBoCon robot.
Partners met for the final partners’ communication meeting to give feedback on the activities. Learn more about the project and watch “Exchanges”, a film based on "Così fan tutte" by Mozart, produced by The "Cesare Pollini" Music Conservatory of Padova (Italy).
With ambitious goals for 2026–2030, MusiQuE’s new strategy focuses on strengthening partnerships, supporting institutions, and enhancing its impact across the performing arts sector
The University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (KUG) invites your students and researchers to apply for the Summer School Musicology 2026. Explore how digital methods reshape musicology by connecting gender studies, mobility, and AI to reimagine histories, networks, and cultural exchange.
AEC Events
AEC International Relations Coordinators Meeting
d@rts International Conference
and Artistic Reunion
AEC Vacancy Platform
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
