AEC & SEADOM strengthen their collaboration
2023 brings reinforced collaboration for the AEC and SEADOM the Southeast Asian Directors of Music.
The collaboration was first strengthened during the AEC Council meeting, which took place in-presence on 28th March 2023 in The Hague. With a new President, two new ExCom members and six new Council members, the AEC Council has seen greater personnel changes than at any time in the past decade. 
This includes the appointment of one new co-opted AEC Council member representing Higher Music education institutions from outside the European Higher Education Area: Anothai Nitibhon from Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music in Bangkok who is at the same time Vice President of SEADOM. Anothai joins the AEC Council’s other coopted member: Abra Bush from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music representing the Americas.
During the Council Meeting, SEADOM President Prof. Shahanum Shah and SEADOM Executive Director Joe Bowman joined online the introduction of Anothai Nitibhon in her new role as co-opted AEC Council member and the farewell to Bernard Lanskey in the same function.
SEADOM President Shahanum Shah and AEC President Deborah Kelleher signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which both sides committed to strengthen their exchange and collaboration further and to jointly tackle the challenges the Higher Music Education sector is facing around the world.
SEADOM was established in 2008, partially inspired by the model of AEC, and represents higher education institutions in 10 Southeast Asian countries.
Until now, although AEC and SEADOM had been in close and friendly contact, the collaboration had so far been purely informal. This collaboration will certainly be beneficial for both sides in many respects.
As a result and in line with the Global Cooperation Strategy that AEC is currently finalising, Anothai Nitibhon will also be contributing to the AEC IRC Meeting in September 2023 in Leuven, Belgium with a talk on Opening Doors for the Global Musician – Enhancing Intercultural Communication Through Exchanges.
