Annual Meeting for International Relations Coordinators 2025

Presentations and discussions on KA 131 rules for student and staff mobility, processes and shared principles for collaboration by Anika Stiawa

Part 1 – Get an overview of the guidelines, which apply to all institutions funding student mobilities (shot-term and long-term) and staff mobilities with Erasmus+ KA131:

• Irrevocable Guidelines vs. Freedom in Implementation
• Terminology and Glossary
• Deadlines and Documents
• (Online)-Tools used

Part 2 – Identification of intersections in cooperation and challenges in the different implementation of Erasmus+ requirements. Workshop to optimize joint processes and thus save time in day-to-day work as an IRC with colleagues of partner institutions. IIAs and LAs

This hands-on workshop offers a practical introduction to key EU funding programmes relevant to higher music education and international collaboration.Through a mix of expert presentations and interactive group work, participants will explore opportunities under Erasmus+ KA1 and KA2, Capacity Building in Higher Education, and Jean Monnet Actions, as well as discover funding possibilities under the Creative Europe programme.

Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson will guide participants through the basics of Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE), Jean Monnet Actions, and International Credit Mobility (KA171), while Michelangelo Galeati will present the potential of Creative Europe for music and cultural projects. Salvatore Gioveni will share insights from the HarmaHub project as a concrete example of how Erasmus+ KA2 can be used effectively.

Throughout the session, participants will alternate between presentations and group work, identifying how these funding lines could support their institutions. The workshop is designed to understand the funding landscape and provide practical tools and inspiration for future project development.

Music performance 

Welcome words by

• Gábor Farkas, President of the Liszt Academy of music
• István Verses, Director of Erasmus Programmes, Hungarian Erasmus National Agency Tempus Public Foundation
• Jan-Gerd Krüger, IRC Working Group Chair
• Finn Schumacker, AEC Executive Director

by Siarhei Piashkun, Western Norway University of Applied Science Stavanger, and Siri Elisabeth Haug, University of Stavanger, Norway

During this session we will step behind the scenes of EU funding and discover how to decode the Erasmus+ Programme Guide and callsfor proposals—what’s written, what it means, and what evaluators actually look for.
We will get practical guidance on navigating key EU websites, understanding programme logic, and avoiding the mostcommon (and costly) mistakes. With insider insights from a seasoned evaluator and grant writer, participants will learn thendo’s and don’ts that can make or break a proposal. The session will focus on Erasmus+ KA2 and KA3, but the principles apply across most EU funding schemes. Whether you’re new to grant writing/support or ready to sharpen your edge, this session welcomes participants at all levels of experience.

by Per Arne Andersen, University of Adger

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we work—and international offices are no exception. In this session, we will explore how AI can support administrative staff in their everyday work, not only by simplifying tasks like drafting communication or organizing workflows, but also by enhancing our ability to read and interpret complex calls for proposals and contribute to successful application writing.

Rather than focusing on specific tools, we will take a broader look at the opportunities AI offers: How can it help us work smarter, improve quality, and reduce repetitive tasks? What are the ethical considerations, and what policies are in place at institutions like UiA?

The session is designed to be practical and accessible, and acknowledges the wide range of experience among participants—from those who have never used AI to those already exploring its potential. You’ll leave with concrete examples and ideas for how AI can be responsibly integrated into your own daily routines and professional context.

Monica Vejgaard (President, European Performing Arts Students’ Association – EPASA)
Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson (Board Member, EPASA; IRC Working Group Member)

This interactive session invites international relations coordinators to reflect on how global engagement strategies in higher music education can actively support student wellbeing. Grounded in the Position Paper on Health Promotion in Tertiary Music Institutions—an international, evidence-based initiative led by Dr. Raluca Matei (Johns Hopkins University)—the session highlights seven key recommendations aimed at transforming music institutions into healthier, more inclusive, and more sustainable environments for students and staff alike.

As a contributor to the position paper, Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson will present the paper’s main messages alongside EPASA President Monica Vejgaard. Together, they will frame student wellbeing as a structural and international priority, rather than an individual or isolated concern.

Topics include:

• Rethinking musicianship through a health-informed lens
• Embedding health and equity in institutional governance
• Empowering students as agents of change
• Training educators and redesigning curricula
• Building cross-disciplinary and international partnerships

Structured discussions will allow participants to share challenges, identify synergies, and explore actionable strategies that can enhance student wellbeing through mobility, cooperation projects, and institutional policy. The session aims to link internationalisation efforts with a broader cultural shift in music education—one that centres care, creativity, and collective responsibility.

With Oana Balan-Budoiu, Academy of Music George Dima Cluj Napoca

BIPs are here to stay!
In this session, we’ll explore 3 fresh resources:

1. BIP 2024 Dublin Report: tips from the AEC network (following last year’s Dublin workshop) on how to plan a BIP and make it both enjoyable and easy to manage.
2. EU Erasmus+ Good Practices Guide: a new handbook released by the European Commission in June 2025, showcasing best practices for BIPs.
3. BIPs Basic Toolkit: step-by-step guidance from the Austrian and Dutch National Agencies, based on real-life experience, surveys, and participants feedback.

After a quick tour of each, you’re invited to join lively discussions. Bring your insights, your challenges, and your curiosity and help us shape a new vision for the future of BIPs.

by Siarhei Piashkun, Western Norway University of Applied Science Stavanger, and Siri Elisabeth Haug, University of Stavanger, Norway

During this session we will step behind the scenes of EU funding and discover how to decode the Erasmus+ Programme Guide and callsfor proposals—what’s written, what it means, and what evaluators actually look for.
We will get practical guidance on navigating key EU websites, understanding programme logic, and avoiding the mostcommon (and costly) mistakes. With insider insights from a seasoned evaluator and grant writer, participants will learn thendo’s and don’ts that can make or break a proposal. The session will focus on Erasmus+ KA2 and KA3, but the principles apply across most EU funding schemes. Whether you’re new to grant writing/support or ready to sharpen your edge, this session welcomes participants at all levels of experience.

by Per Arne Andersen, University of Adger

Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing how we work—and international offices are no exception. In this session, we will explore how AI can support administrative staff in their everyday work, not only by simplifying tasks like drafting communication or organizing workflows, but also by enhancing our ability to read and interpret complex calls for proposals and contribute to successful application writing.

Rather than focusing on specific tools, we will take a broader look at the opportunities AI offers: How can it help us work smarter, improve quality, and reduce repetitive tasks? What are the ethical considerations, and what policies are in place at institutions like UiA?

The session is designed to be practical and accessible, and acknowledges the wide range of experience among participants—from those who have never used AI to those already exploring its potential. You’ll leave with concrete examples and ideas for how AI can be responsibly integrated into your own daily routines and professional context.

Monica Vejgaard (President, European Performing Arts Students’ Association – EPASA)
Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson (Board Member, EPASA; IRC Working Group Member)

This interactive session invites international relations coordinators to reflect on how global engagement strategies in higher music education can actively support student wellbeing. Grounded in the Position Paper on Health Promotion in Tertiary Music Institutions—an international, evidence-based initiative led by Dr. Raluca Matei (Johns Hopkins University)—the session highlights seven key recommendations aimed at transforming music institutions into healthier, more inclusive, and more sustainable environments for students and staff alike.

As a contributor to the position paper, Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson will present the paper’s main messages alongside EPASA President Monica Vejgaard. Together, they will frame student wellbeing as a structural and international priority, rather than an individual or isolated concern.

Topics include:

• Rethinking musicianship through a health-informed lens
• Embedding health and equity in institutional governance
• Empowering students as agents of change
• Training educators and redesigning curricula
• Building cross-disciplinary and international partnerships

Structured discussions will allow participants to share challenges, identify synergies, and explore actionable strategies that can enhance student wellbeing through mobility, cooperation projects, and institutional policy. The session aims to link internationalisation efforts with a broader cultural shift in music education—one that centres care, creativity, and collective responsibility.

With Oana Balan-Budoiu, Academy of Music George Dima Cluj Napoca

BIPs are here to stay!
In this session, we’ll explore 3 fresh resources:

1. BIP 2024 Dublin Report: tips from the AEC network (following last year’s Dublin workshop) on how to plan a BIP and make it both enjoyable and easy to manage.
2. EU Erasmus+ Good Practices Guide: a new handbook released by the European Commission in June 2025, showcasing best practices for BIPs.
3. BIPs Basic Toolkit: step-by-step guidance from the Austrian and Dutch National Agencies, based on real-life experience, surveys, and participants feedback.

After a quick tour of each, you’re invited to join lively discussions. Bring your insights, your challenges, and your curiosity and help us shape a new vision for the future of BIPs.

with  Jose Luis Fernandez, Vigo, Damiano Lazzaron,  Castelfranco Veneto, Bohdan Rumiantsev, Kiev and and Ana Habruk, Ukranian student

moderated by Sarah Low and Junta Arakawa

This session will provide an opportunity to learn more about the experiences of Ukrainian students on Erasmus+ mobilities. We will hear directly from a Ukrainian student as well as IRCs from institutions within Ukraine and across Europe. There are special considerations for welcoming Ukrainian students to our institutions; delegates will come away with a greater awareness of these issues and will discuss ideas for solving these problems.

free discussion moderated by Veronika Kuzelova,  and Ivana Mijanovic

Open discussion session for IRCs to ask each other anything and everything about the Erasmus+ programme—no matter how basic or complex. Designed as a safe space for honest questions and shared learning and experiences, the session can cover practical aspects of mobility, partnerships, digital tools, programme management, communication tips etc. Whether you’re new to Erasmus+ or simply seeking clarity or different points of view from the IRC comunity, this is your chance to speak up, share experiences, and leave with greater confidence.

moderated by Ania Sergueeva, Paris BB and Domenica Giannone, Milan

The academic recognition of the learning outcomes of a study stay abroad is one of the fundamental principles of the Erasmus programme. In order to fully implement it, we need to ensure that our students receive a fair and transparent conversion of grades obtained at the host institution. However, as stated in the ECTS User Guide « Due to different cultural and academic traditions, European educational systems have developed not only different nation al grading scales but also different ways of using them within the same country, in different subject areas or institutions.”

Following the exchanges and reflections during the brainstorming session at the AEC Congress in November 2024, we are now inviting the IRCs, who are the first link in the process of grade conversion, to continue and broaden the discussion focused on the principles applied by different institutions in terms of grade conversion, the challenges, and the best practices in this area.

Moderated by Monica Vejgaard (President, EPASA) and Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson (IRC Working Group Member, Board Member at EPASA)

Higher music education institutions are complex learning environments where collaboration between students, staff, and management depends on navigating different levels of decision-making power. This interactive discussion session explores how power dynamics shape the experiences of international students and the professionals who support them. Participant international relations coordinators will engage in structured activities, small-group dialogues, and guided case study discussions to reflect on their own institutional contexts, identify barriers to collaboration, and share best practices for centering the student voice.

Three case stories will be used as focal points for conversation: the challenge of balancing artistic production schedules with international students’ work and well-being; the recurring tensions created by last-minute exchange applications; and the lack of tailored support systems for international students’ mental health and cultural adjustment. By working through these cases in groups, participants will practice stakeholder mapping, identify opportunities and challenges, and exchange strategies that have succeeded in their own conservatoires.

By combining icebreaker activities, spectrum mapping, and in-depth case study work, the session aims to create a collaborative space for peer learning, mutual support, and collective problem-solving. The ultimate goal is to develop more inclusive, transparent, and student-centred practices that empower international students in decision-making processes at higher music education institutions.

moderated by Christiane Brueck, Hamburg and Riccardo Mascia, Parma

In recent years, many international relations offices in higher music education institutions have witnessed a notable surge in applications for traineeships abroad. Unlike study exchanges, which are governed by structured and transparent selection processes, traineeship applications often emerge informally and without clear institutional frameworks. The financial attractiveness of SMT Erasmus+ grants and their perceived simplicity make them increasingly popular among students – sometimes at the expense of more academically structured mobility options.

However, this trend raises critical questions about the fundamental nature and purpose of a traineeship in our field. What should constitute a meaningful traineeship in music? How do we distinguish it from study exchange? And how can we ensure that both students and institutions benefit without overburdening faculty or violating national labour laws?

This discussion group will explore the diverging practices and understandings of traineeships across European higher music education institutions. Using the German and Italian contexts as case studies – including challenges posed by labour laws, teacher workloads, and misaligned expectations between partner institutions – we aim to foster an open exchange on policy, process, and content.

Key points for discussion include:

• The need for clear institutional policies on the acceptance and structure of SMTs
• The distinction between work-oriented internships and lesson-based exchanges
• Transparency on institutional websites regarding SMT offerings and limitations
• How to advertise traineeships: how to attract students the AEC’s Vacancy Platform, Cross-institutional collaborations and consortia, such as Italy’s “Working With Music” initiative and the consortium of European Opera Academy
• Common misunderstanding, mistakes and missed opportunities
• Quality feedback

This session invites IRC colleagues to share experiences, raise concerns, and contribute to shaping a common understanding of traineeships – one that respects institutional capacity, upholds the integrity of the SMT, and enhances student mobility opportunities in a fair and sustainable manner.

Session Format:
Open round-table discussion with short introductory remarks and facilitated exchange among participants.

moderated by Per Arne Andersen, University of Adger

This session follows up on the earlier workshop and invites participants to dive deeper into practical and strategic questions.

AI offers exciting possibilities—but where do international offices start, and how do we ensure smart, ethical, and practical implementation? In this session, we will reflect together on how international relations coordinators (IRCs) can benefit from AI in their day-to-day work.

We will open the floor for a structured discussion on key questions, such as: How can AI free up time and improve quality? What are the risks? And what role should policy, training, and leadership play in ensuring responsible use?

Participants are encouraged to share ideas, challenges, and experiences—from first encounters with AI tools to ongoing experimentation and institutional strategies. The goal is to learn from one another and explore how IRCs can actively—and wisely—make use of AI going forward.

moderated by Siarhei Piashkun and Siri Elisabeth Haug

When applying for external funding, you oft en face doubts and onerous questi ons – what to start with, how toproceed to make a competi ti ve proposal, and what to do aft er. This session off ers a useful insight into thenature of preparing bids for EU funding. The fi rst part of the session focuses on how to design and organisethe proposal writi ng phase, while the second part off ers an open plenary discussion aimed at identi fying themost appropriate ways of dealing with the proposals’ evaluati on results.

moderated by Michelangelo Galeati

MUSIC4D – Music, entrepreneUrshIp, Creativity, For the Digital revolution – is a large-scale international initiative funded under the Italian PNRR (NextGenerationEU). Led by the Conservatorio di Musica “Alessandro Scarlatti” in Palermo, with the participation of the music HEIs institutions from Sicily and Sardinia, together with the University of Palermo, the University of Cosenza, theatres, and prestigious international partners, the project aims to valorise the musical heritage of Southern Italy while promoting innovation through advanced digital tools such as AR, VR, XR, AI, and robotics.

A central pillar of MUSIC4D is the mobility dimension, promoting the creation of new networks and exchanges. The project foresees both blended and physical mobilities for students, professors, researchers, and administrative staff, with an expected impact on more than 400 direct participants.

Following the presentation of MUSIC4D, the discussion will be opened to the experiences of other Conservatoires, with particular attention to beyond-EU mobilities. This exchange of practices will highlight how international collaborations with non-European partners can further enrich artistic education, research, and cultural diplomacy in the performing arts.