The AEC Annual Meeting for International Relations Coordinators
Common Ground – Diverse Pathways
Conservatorio “F. A. Bonporti” di Trento, Italy
2-5 September 2026
Higher music education institutions across Europe and beyond share a common ground built on artistic exchange, academic cooperation, mobility, and mutual understanding. Yet the ways in which institutions approach internationalisation are becoming increasingly diverse, influenced by digital transformation, environmental responsibility, geopolitical developments, and new forms of global collaboration.
The AEC Annual Meeting for International Relations Coordinators 2026 in Trento invites participants to reflect on these shared foundations while exploring the many different pathways currently shaping international cooperation in higher music education.
Under the theme “Common Ground – Diverse Pathways”, the meeting brings together discussions on Erasmus digitisation – with the usual EASY-dedicated workshop, this year celebrating the 10th anniversary of the project – the relations between education and profession, the role of AI in our institutions and the role of our institutions in our societies. Across the programme, the focus remains on how institutions can learn from one another while responding to different local, cultural, and institutional contexts.
A central element of this year’s meeting is the continuing professional development of International Relations Coordinators themselves. Dedicated workshops on project writing — designed both for beginners and advanced practitioners — will support participants in strengthening competencies related to Erasmus+, KA171, BIPs, KA220 and Horizon applications; sessions on intercultural training will offer practical approaches to working across cultures and supporting increasingly diverse student and staff communities; session on the efficient and ethical use of AI and automation related to process at the heart of international offices.
The programme combines strategic reflection with practical exchange. Participants will engage also with topics such as new education formats developed by IN.TUNE, seamless and sustainable mobility processes, cross-continental partnerships and “going global”, support for institutions and students in enlargement countries with a special focus on Ukraine and Balkan countries, and new opportunities for collaboration through European and international projects.
Alongside plenary sessions and workshops, the meeting places strong emphasis on peer learning and community-building through speed dating sessions, matchmaking activities, student-led discussions, informal exchanges, and networking opportunities throughout Trento and Lake Garda.
Bringing together experienced professionals and newcomers alike, the meeting aims to strengthen the common ground of the AEC community while encouraging diverse perspectives, new partnerships, and fresh approaches to international cooperation in higher music education.
