From 29 to 31 January 2026, more than 50 international relations coordinators from all over Europe gathered at the Conservatorio di Musica “Luca Marenzio” in Brescia, Italy, for the three-day international workshop “Project Funding Opportunities, Erasmus+ Mobility and Digitisation: Practical Tools for the Internationalisation of Higher Music Education Institutions”. Organised by the AEC within the framework of the PNRR project IartNET, this hands-on event provided international officers with strategic insights and operational skills to be able to handle European funding schemes and (digital) mobility workflows.

The programme offered a rich blend of expert presentations, interactive discussion groups and practical demonstrations. Day 1 focused on European project funding opportunities, including Creative Europe, Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE), Jean Monnet Actions, International Credit Mobility (KA171) and University Alliances. Participants were invited by moderators  to reflect and give inputs on how these funding lines can be applied to their institutions’ strategic objectives.

The following two days were dedicated to Erasmus+ mobility and the digitalisation of mobility management, with an extensive hands-on workshop on the AEC’s EASY MO system for managing mobility applications, learning agreements and short mobilities.

Speakers and facilitators included representatives from AEC members and in particular from the AEC’s IRC and EASY working groups:

  • Michelangelo Galeati (Conservatorio di Musica Santa Cecilia, Italy)
  • Iveri Kekenadze Gustafsson (Malmö Academy of Music, Sweden) – IRC wg member and former EPASA board member
  • Ivana Mijanovic (University of Belgrade, Serbia; IN.TUNE Alliance) – IRC wg member
  • Anika Stiawa (KUG Graz, Austria) – IRC wg member
  • Riccardo Mascia (Conservatorio A. Boito di Parma, Italy ) – IRC wg member
  • Ly Tran (Hochschule für Musik Weimar, Germany) – EASY task force member
  • Noemi Eden (Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität, Austria) – EASY task force member
  • Ruth Graf-Fleet (Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Netherlands) – EASY task force member
  • José Luis Fernandez (Conservatorio Superior de Musica de Vigo, Spain) – EASY task force member
  • Andrada-Eirka Badiu, (CNSMD Lyon, France) – EASY task force member
  • Christiane Brück, (Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, Germany) – EASY task force member
  • Krystian Werner, EASY MO Project Manager at SoP
  • Sara Primiterra, AEC Senior Project and Events Manager, Coordinator of the IRC working group and the EASY task force

The workshop enabled participants to exchange best practices, deepen their understanding of EU funding landscapes, and develop practical workflows for Erasmus+ and project applications. Many attendees highlighted the value of the peer-to-peer discussions and the applied sessions on digital tools.

For more on the overarching initiative, visit the PNRR IartNET project website: https://www.accademiadibrera.milano.it/en/iartnet (IartNET – an international platform for artistic practice/research and cultural heritage).

We warmly thank the hosting institution, Conservatorio di Musica “Luca Marenzio” di Brescia, for their excellent organisation and hospitality, which helped make this workshop a truly enriching experience for all participants.