In the Netherlands, the Music Educators Agreement unites all Dutch conservatories, primary teacher training colleges, vocational education programs for teaching assistants and relevant networks. The More Music in the Classroom foundation—established to promote arts education for all children in and around Dutch and Caribbean schools—initiated the 12-year collaboration in 2020 and coordinates it.

Many of the main themes of the EAS 2026 conference align closely with current discussions in the Netherlands. Teacher training programs aim to increase diversity both in their curricula and among staff and student population, for example through democratic citizenship, and to make music education and the canon more inclusive in scope.

However, as in other European countries, Dutch institutions face many challenges in this process. This will be explored further during a national conference for music teachers and educators in March 2026, gathering questions, issues and good practices from the Dutch perspective.

To exchange and discuss these insights and examples within a European context, the network of the Music Educators Agreement proposes to organise a roundtable on how democratizing music education can contribute to increasing diversity and inclusion within (music) teacher training programs.

The roundtable will begin with four short presentations by representatives of the main partners in the Music Educators Agreement, who will share key Dutch insights and examples. Following these introductions, the representatives will join the roundtable participants in smaller groups to discuss the presented information and stimulate exchange, thereby using the effectuation approach (Sarasvathy, 2001;2008). The aim is to foster mutual learning and inspire new approaches. Finally, one member of each group will briefly summarize their discussion plenary. The resulting collection of good practices and effective strategies will be shared with the wider music education community to support the diversification of teacher training programmes.