Proud, Connected, and Changing Things: Voices from IN.TUNE

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A network of people — not just institutions. During IN.TUNE Governance Week in Paris (16–19 June 2025), students, teachers, professional staff and leaders shared what makes them proud and what feels most meaningful about building this alliance together. The picture that emerges is energising: strong student voice, real collaboration, and projects that matter — on stage, on campus, and in society.

At Governance Week, main alliance governance bodies — Governing Board, Executive Committee with the Strategy Working Group, Alliance Management Team and Student Council — gathered to explore how our alliance can grow with purpose and impact.  Below are the main insights gathered in the session “Cross-stakeholder perspectives and dialogues,” as part of the Paris programme.

What we’re proud of

Across roles and institutions, pride centres on student agency, community, and courage to tackle difficult topics.

  • Student voice is real. “That students have a say in policy-making and strategy… the student voice is equal to others in the Alliance.” 
  • People before structures. “The very fact that a network of people is being created rather than a network of institutions—and that it works.” 
  • A warm, safe community. “Proud to be a part of and belong in a strong community with so many people with strong resources and knowledge.” 
  • Standing together. A student-made video in solidarity with Serbian students became a powerful talking point across the alliance. 
  • Honest dialogue. Committees feel able to address “tricky” subjects and unexpected developments constructively and supportively. 

What feels most meaningful

Respondents point to student-led initiatives, new educational formats, and societal engagement — and to the simple power of finally meeting each other as people.

  • Student-led projects are connecting campuses. “High interest… matchmaking… informal communication and good connections across institutions.” 
  • New educational formats are taking off. “Results of the call [for] new educational formats” were singled out as especially meaningful. 
  •  Art in society, on the agenda. “Societal engagement is very powerful… IN.TUNE puts it on the agenda highly.” 
  •  People before paperwork. “First time meeting the people, not just the documents of IN.TUNE. It feels very warm and friendly.” 
  • Shared identity is forming. “Mutual willingness to create something together—we started to identify with IN.TUNE.”

What stands out personally (and for institutions)

Several reflections point to partnership over competition and concrete progress inside work packages:

  • From choirs and chamber collaborations to student-led projects, respondents value structured collaboration and “equity in the starting level that we are not competing institutions but partners.” 
  • Early deliverables already “brought different understanding of things by working together,” and recent committee meetings “really made progress.” 
  • The low-latency real-time music performance (MVTP) platform is seen as a practical lever: “MVTP will concretely change things in my institution.”

Strengthening communication & mutual understanding

Participants also offered ways to deepen communication and bridge cultures:

  • Build research and artistic bridges: local hubs engaged teachers, formed new committees, and created time to connect “artists” and “researchers.” 
  •  Looking inside the alliance first for knowledge and expertise: “When we need some extra expertise in our institution, we first look into IN.TUNE.” 
  • Keeping values visible: preserve individual identities while agreeing on democratic, inclusive goals; ensure genuine student participation through project proposals. 
  • Widening the circle: more open calls, quicker inclusion of teachers, and outreach beyond campus spaces were all suggested.