AEC

The leading voice for higher music education in Europe

The Association Européenne des Conservatoires, Académies de Musique et Musikhochschulen (AEC) is the leading European network for Higher Music Education (HME). As a strong advocate for its member institutions, AEC represents the voice of HME across Europe and beyond.

Founded in 1953 and based in Brussels, AEC today unites more than 300 higher music education institutions in over 50 countries—spanning not only Europe, but also Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

 

A Network for International Cooperation

AEC serves as a shared platform for dialogue among conservatories, music academies, and universities. It promotes collaboration between institutions in key areas: joint artistic projects, student and faculty mobility, curriculum reform, internationalisation of study programs, digitalisation of teaching, music research, and academic governance.

All actors involved in the network—directors, teachers, students, and administrative leaders—contribute to shaping European cultural and educational policy in the musical field. 

AEC also cooperates closely with the European Institutions, and organisations like the International Music Council and Culture Action Europe.

 

Principles, Values, and Vision

AEC promotes music and arts education and broader cultural participation as essential pillars of human development and inclusive, democratic societies. 

It recognises professionally focused arts education as a pursuit of excellence in three interconnected areas: artistic practice, learning and teaching, and research and innovation. The organisation works to strengthen these dimensions while embracing the diversity and vitality of artistic approaches across countries, institutions, and regions.

Its mission is to support and advance a high-quality system of higher music education by championing academic excellence, artistic research, international cooperation and mobility, and pedagogical innovation.

 

Projects and Programs

AEC coordinates a wide range of international projects funded by the European Commission, including Erasmus+, Creative Europe, and Horizon Europe. These projects support the development of higher music education in Europe by fostering cooperation, innovation, and policy development across institutions and countries.

Past initiatives such as FULL SCORE (2014–2017) and the ERASMUS Network for Music “Polifonia” (2004–2010) played a major role in strengthening governance, quality assurance, and the alignment of higher music education with broader cultural and educational frameworks. Polifonia, in particular, contributed to the modernisation of music study programmes in Europe by promoting shared standards for curriculum design, credit recognition, and diploma supplements.

A key recently completed project is AEC – Empowering Artists as Makers in Society (ARTEMIS, 2022–2025), a Creative Europe network initiative. This flagship endeavour aims to empower artists and cultural professionals amid global challenges such as digital transformation, climate change, and societal diversity. 

Finally, AEC organises four high‑profile annual events that serve as strategic platforms for reflection, creative exchange, and capacity-building:

  1. Annual Congress & General Assembly featuring plenaries, regional sessions, project updates and decision‑making forums.
  2. IRC Meeting (International Relations Coordinators Meeting).
  3. EPARM (European Platform for Artistic Research).
  4. PJP (Pop & Jazz Platform).

 

Impact on Italy and Southern Europe

Italy has seen a growing participation of its conservatoires in the AEC network activities. In particular, the Sicilian and Sardinian conservatories at the heart of the MUSIC4D Project have become increasingly involved in international initiatives through active engagement in calls and working groups.

Thanks to the AEC, institutions in Southern Italy have been able to showcase their musical heritage, establish exchange agreements with prestigious partners (including Paris, Vienna, Brussels, Helsinki, Riga, Amsterdam, and Oslo), create collaborative labs with international artists, and promote the role of the musician as a social and cultural innovator.

The commitment of the MUSIC4D Project aligns perfectly with this vision: supporting an interregional and transnational network linked to AEC means empowering Southern Europe as a pioneering hub for the music of the future.

AEC is not merely a network of institutions—it is a cultural ecosystem that is continually renewed through cooperation. Participating in its activities means contributing to a more equitable, open, and creative European musical future. For MUSIC4D, involving the AEC network is a strategic tool for growth, international recognition, and the development of an artistic language that, while deeply rooted in local identity, has the power to speak to the world.

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