With the experience of this year’s AEC Congress in Salzburg still fresh in my mind, I am filled with gratitude for the many reflections and responses we have received from participants. Once again, the Congress fully lived up to its reputation as AEC’s most important meeting point - bringing together staff and students to exchange knowledge, discuss emerging trends, and explore ways to future-proof Higher Music Education.
In this newsletter, you can revisit the atmosphere of the Congress and learn more about the programme, as well as the key decisions and outcomes of the Annual General Assembly. You will also find an introduction to the new EU Culture Compass and an explanation of why we at AEC warmly welcome this new European strategy for culture.
We are equally pleased to share important updates on Erasmus and to provide a report from the Annual Meeting of our valued long-standing partner in the United States, the National Association of Schools of Music.
Altogether, this newsletter reflects yet another busy - but deeply enriching - period at AEC. I hope you enjoy the read.
Finn Schumacker
AEC Executive Director
The new Culture Compass for Europe is the European Commission’s first comprehensive cultural strategy in nearly a decade.
The AEC Annual Congress and General Assembly 2025 took place at University Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, gathering 470 participants from 45 countries all over the world.
The AEC General Assembly and EPASA General Assembly were held on the afternoon of Saturday, 8 November, as part of the AEC Annual Congress 2025.
Join the AEC Pop & Jazz Platform from 12 to 15 February 2026 at the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki (Finland).
The Essentiality of Music highlighted at the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Schools of Music at this year’s edition in Orlando, Florida.
MusiQuE actively participated in the AEC Congress in Salzburg by organising a 2-day pre-congress workshop and one brainstorming session.
Help us gain a clearer picture of how these genres of music are represented, supported, and connected across HMEIs today! Responses can be submitted until 8 December, 2025.
The AEC, in collaboration with the Royal Conservatoire The Hague has officially launched a new series of Artist as Teacher seminars.
As we approach the end of the calendar year, we would like to recap some pivotal developments regarding the Erasmus Programme with direct relevance to AEC members across Europe.
The MUSIC4D project was presented to an audience of over 150 professors and leaders from Higher Education Institutions across the European Union and beyond at the AEC Congress 2025 in Salzburg, Austria.
AEC Events
12-15 February 2026
Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki
AEC Pop and Jazz Platform 2026
9-11 April 2026
Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo
European Platform for Artistic Research in Music (EPARM) 2026
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.
