IN.TUNE

At the 2025 AEC Annual Congress in Salzburg, IN.TUNE brought together leaders and students from all eight partner universities to show how long-term international cooperation can actively transform higher music education institutions. The panel offered a candid look at how institutions are navigating alliance developments — celebrating progress, addressing challenges, and leading change with purpose. It also highlighted what makes IN.TUNE’s approach distinct compared to other international initiatives, and how AEC members and other institutions in the sector can draw practical inspiration from the alliance’s emerging experiences.

A Shared Vision for Change

From 5–8 November, IN.TUNE participated in the Annual Congress of the Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC) in Salzburg with a panel that examined how international collaboration can become a driver of real institutional transformation. Speaking under the Congress strand Leadership and Advocacy in a Global World, rectors, directors, deans, and a student representative from the alliance reflected on the changes already emerging within IN.TUNE’s eight partner institutions—and the wider possibilities for higher music education in Europe.

The panel, Leading Change In Tune: Effective leadership to advance institutional transformation through transnational cooperation, demonstrated that IN.TUNE’s work goes far beyond conventional internationalisation. Rather than adding new mobility formats or occasional joint activities, the alliance aims to develop shared structures, stable collaborations, and a long-term community capable of innovating together.

Building a Collaborative Culture Within Institutions

Speakers agreed that after nearly two years, IN.TUNE is becoming deeply embedded in the daily life of partner institutions. Lies Colman, Director of the Royal Conservatoire The Hague, described how the alliance is evolving from a project into a living community.

“What began as an exciting but overwhelming initiative has become a red thread through our institution,” she said. “Teachers, students, technical teams, communication staff — all feel increasingly connected. I have not experienced another collaboration so structurally embedded.”

This culture of connection is not limited to a few people working directly in international teams. Peer-learning groups across administration, student services, technology, and leadership have grown rapidly, giving staff opportunities to learn from colleagues with similar roles in other countries. Many institutions recognise these exchanges as uniquely valuable professional development.

Students as Co-Creators

A strong message of the session was that students play an essential and active role in IN.TUNE’s transformative work. Representing the IN.TUNE Student Council, Lucie Lou Camps spoke about the sense of belonging that students experience within the alliance.

“Students feel that they are truly in tune,” she said. “Our perspective is heard — and even cherished. We are not just participants but contributors.”

This contribution is visible across the alliance’s work packages, where students engage in programme design, co-creation of activities, and strategic discussions. Emilie Delorme, Director of the Conservatoire de Paris, emphasised that IN.TUNE treats students as collaborators and co-creators, not just beneficiaries. She highlighted the joint online course currently in development — Theory of Harmony Based on Examples by 19th-Century Women Composers — as a clear example of how students are actively shaping new educational formats from the start.

Leadership Across Complexity

The panel also examined what it means to lead within an alliance that involves eight institutions, multiple layers of governance, and a wide range of tasks. Speakers recognised the complexity but also stressed that such a structure makes collaboration more meaningful and resilient.

Colman described the alliance’s coordination teams — secretaries general, alliance managers, and institutional managers — as “the in-spiders weaving the web”. Their work ensures coherence across work packages and helps institutions remain aligned without losing flexibility or creativity. The Student Council was recognised as an equally important connector, maintaining dialogue between students and all work areas.

Maintaining clear communication, shared purpose, and a sense of ownership were highlighted as essential leadership principles. While challenges such as workload and cultural differences inevitably arise, the alliance addresses them through transparency, regular monitoring, and consistent engagement at all levels — from Governing Board members to teachers and technical staff.

Illustrative Innovations Emerging Across IN.TUNE

Although the session featured many examples, the panel emphasised that these represent only a small part of the alliance’s broader work. They are early indicators of how long-term cooperation can shape new practices across institutions.

One example discussed was the alliance’s expanded definition of mobility, which goes beyond physical movement to include virtual and hybrid formats. This shift enables more students and teachers to take part in international activities, and it supports collaboration among institutions that may not have had strong bilateral connections before.

Within this, the Modular Video Transmission Platform (MVTP) for distance music performance demonstrates what is possible when institutions coordinate technical, pedagogical, and artistic structures. With its low-latency real-time connection, the platform allows for joint lessons, cross-border coaching, ensemble rehearsals, and shared performances — supported by common protocols developed collaboratively by technical teams across the alliance.

Alongside the examples highlighted in more detail, the panel also touched on a wide range of initiatives now taking shape across the alliance. Several speakers noted how joint online modules are emerging as a practical way to share expertise and create accessible learning pathways, while institutional teams continue to exchange knowledge through regular staff capacity-building activities.

As Nuria Sempere underlined, these peer-learning groups and workshops are already strengthening institutional resilience by supporting colleagues who are navigating new digital, pedagogical, and organisational demands.

Further contributions pointed to IN.TUNE’s growing work in lifelong learning and career development. Ulrike Sych shared updates on the alliance’s first lifelong learning course on Musicians’ Health—set to launch in spring 2026—and introduced two resources soon to be published: an Audience Engagement Inventory and a Register of Transnational Placements and Internships, both designed to provide practical support for students and professionals. Research is also a key strand of IN.TUNE’s development. Markus Utrio referenced the recent Annual Research in Education Event (AIRE), which helps strengthen the research foundations of teaching practices and encourages educators to integrate research-informed approaches into their work. Taken together, these contributions reflect only a small portion of the activity unfolding across the alliance but illustrate clearly the breadth of IN.TUNE’s work and its ambition to build sustainable pathways for innovation in higher music education.

Looking Forward Together

The panel concluded by inviting AEC Congress participants to reflect on how transnational cooperation can influence their own institutional futures. IN.TUNE’s experience shows that when collaboration is approached as a long-term, strategic commitment rather than a collection of isolated activities, it can foster a culture of innovation that benefits students, teachers, and institutions alike.

As the alliance continues to grow, IN.TUNE will share further insights and developments with the AEC community — helping institutions across Europe explore what becomes possible when they work, lead, and learn together.

Photo © IN.TUNE