The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Working Group convened to advance strategic preparations for the upcoming joint DEI + SEN Workshop in Utrecht, ensuring a focused and impactful contribution to the programme.

As part of this initiative, the SEN Working Group will deliver a dedicated add-on module to complement the DEI workshop facilitated by the AEC DEI Panel of Experts in May 2026. The workshop is being developed for both HKU Utrechts Conservatorium and ArtEZ Conservatorium Zwolle, ensuring that inclusive practice is addressed through both a broad Diversity, Equity & Inclusion lens and a specialised SEN perspective.

The workshop was discussed in detail, including its structure, objectives, and practical arrangements. The methodology will include short testimonial videos, small group discussions, role-based exercises, and reflective activities.  

Beyond the workshop, the Working Group addressed the broader need to map existing initiatives and to gain a clearer understanding of institutional practices across Europe. The group emphasised the importance of raising awareness, reducing stigma related to special education needs, and encouraging institutions to reflect on how support services are perceived and utilised.

During the meeting, the Working Group also identified potential conference contributions for 2026 and 2027 and discussed the preparation of the Working Group Chair’s presentation for the upcoming AEC Council meeting.

The AEC Special Education Needs working group was formed in the end of 2025 and is designed to enhance cultural participation and inclusion for artists with SEN across Higher Music Education (HME) institutions by supporting the development of competences among cultural professionals in HME institutions, strengthening inclusive practices, and establishing a network of institutions committed to social inclusion, fostering collaboration and the exchange of good practices.

The activities of the WG will contribute to AEC’s 2030 strategic goals, building upon the outcomes of the Erasmus+ funded project IncluMusic, and in collaboration with the InclusME Special Focus Group of the European Association for Music in Schools (EAS).

The members of the AEC SEN WG:

  • Elide Scarlata – Conservatorio Statale di Musica Alessandro Scarlatti (Palermo, Italy), WG Chair
  • Dr. Maria Prodromou – European University Cyprus (Nicosia, Cyprus)
  • Dr. Melissa Mercadal – Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (Barcelona, Spain)
  • Kim Fallen Bailey – Royal Irish Academy of Music (Dublin, Ireland)
  • Beatrice Iordache – Gheorghe Dima National Academy of Music (Cluj-Napoca, Romania)
  • Jessica Harris – Royal Irish Academy of Music (Dublin, Ireland), WG Advisor
  • Ashkhen Fixova  – AEC Office, WG Coordinator