Conference Agenda

Music-related professions are undergoing a period of change. As a result, further education programmes in artistic and music education contexts at music colleges could become important. Unlike other professional development fields, academic further education at music colleges has yet to establish itself. Therefore, it is crucial that music universities enable individuals to continue their education in their specialist areas (Bosch Sanfélix & Ahner, 2025).

The University of Music in Trossingen is breaking new ground by developing innovative content and institutional structures. These programmes are aimed at artists, music school teachers, project managers, concert organisers, music journalists, and freelance musicians. The programmes designed for the University of Music in Trossingen will enable participants to expand and deepen their existing skills or acquire new knowledge and expertise. The focus is primarily on the concepts of 'lifelong learning' and 'lifelong education'. These include perspectives on inclusion, personal and professional development, and active participation in an ever-changing society (UNESCO, 2022; Howard Morris et al., 2024). For this reason, the university's specific academic further education programmes in music-related areas always have two objectives in mind: Firstly, the content of academic further education should be closely related to relevant pedagogical or artistic practice. Secondly, academic further education should convey a message to society, raising stakeholders' awareness of the achievements of music and music-related fields in today's world (Bosch Sanfélix & Ahner, 2025).

In this contribution, we present the concept behind Trossingen’s pilot project and three innovative ideas currently under development. This highlights the possibilities and opportunities, as well as the challenges, of implementing an academic further education programme at music universities, with a particular focus on the potential to provide music professionals with new career development opportunities throughout their lives.

Musical identities, along with individual views and values regarding music education, are culturally embodied and embedded in specific cultural spaces (Holloway & Valentine, 2000; MacDonald & Saarikallio, 2022 ). However, technology with its interactive tools enable individuals to engage and navigate complex networks of information and resources, fostering global collaboration and supporting a world-centered approach to education (Biesta, 2021)Indeed, shared interactive digital spaces (such as internet) may enable the interconnection and mediation of diverse musical identities, facilitating collaboration to create a common space for dialogue.

To address this goal, a six-week curricular project was implemented within two courses in music education for preservice music teachers, held in Rome (Italy) and in New York (USA) to create a digital shared space of work. The project sought to integrate diverse perspectives on music education, examining approaches to repertoire selection, pedagogical strategies, and the suitability of repertoire for children's learning contexts.

Pre-service music teachers of both Countries, pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education, were engaged in cross-continental musical collaborations, exploring the many ways music can promote peace and contribute to conflict resolution, empathy, and social inclusion (Marsh, 2019).

Participants were indeed involved in a collaborative composition activity, co-creating musical pieces for elementary-age children on the theme of peace across continents. The collaborative work between students involved negotiating the creation of a musical composition alongside the exploration of the concept of peace as experienced in diverse cultural and social contexts in which they live, integrating local and global perspectives.

The enrichment of this process emerged through constructive dialogue, where sharing insights and strategies encouraged critical engagement with content and perspectives from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Enhancing students’ ability to navigate and appreciate diverse musical perspectives, educational orientations and cultures can foster a deeper understanding of how to create inclusive and democratic learning environments.

Background and Aims

This paper is based on the ERASMUS+ project TEAM’s work package on mobility. Student mobility promises academic, professional and intercultural gains, yet participation in the performing arts remains low due to structural and curricular barriers (Teichler, 2017; Hovdhaugen & Wiers-Jenssen, 2021; Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, 2020).

Our study aims to address these challenges by developing research-based strategies for enhancing mobility in music teacher education (MTE). The paper synthesizes the main findings from our empirical work and focuses specifically on the developed design principles for mobility in music teacher education.

Method

We employed a mixed-methods approach across 13 European higher education institutions (offering MTE) in 10 countries: (1) document analysis of existing exchange curricula/study plans; (2) 32 focus-group interviews with students, teacher educators, and international coordinators; (3) design-based research cycles to articulate and iteratively refine mobility design principles.

Findings

Document analysis showed few formal, MTE-specific mobility study plans; most institutions rely on ad hoc arrangements, producing inconsistencies in learning opportunities and credit recognition. Interview data highlighted four recurring barriers: weak cross-institutional alignment and occasional faculty resistance; limited pre-departure preparation and in-situ support; uneven funding that skews access; and difficulties integrating music-specific coursework within general exchange frameworks. In response, we formulated 13 design principles clustered in five areas: (1) Foundations and Motivations; (2) Institutional Collaboration and Communication; (3) Curriculum and Course Design; (4) Cultural Immersion and Socio-cultural Experiences; and (5) Information Access and Student Support. The design principles are being piloted across partner institutions through autumn 2025, and piloting will inform iterative revisions in line with a cyclical design-based research approach. The consolidated set will be published as an interactive online resource, which we will demonstrate at the conference to invite critical discussion and support uptake.