Following the revision of its core assessment frameworks for institutional and programme reviews in 2023, MusiQuE has now completed a thorough update of its standards for Classroom for Pre-College Education, carried out over 2024–2025. The result is a renewed framework that is both ambitious and pragmatic, designed to support institutions in enhancing quality without overburdening those less familiar with external quality assurance processes.

A key objective of the revision was to align the standards more closely with the specific realities of music schools and pre-college institutions, while building on the foundations of MusiQuE’s Standards for Institutional Review. The wording, structure and guiding questions of each standard were carefully reworked so that both types of institution can recognise themselves in the framework and use it as a meaningful tool for self-reflection and development. Where necessary, dedicated sections and guiding questions were introduced separately for music schools and for pre-college institutions, ensuring appropriate differentiation within a shared overall structure.

The process was led by a Working Group chaired by the Chair of the MusiQuE Board and reflecting MusiQuE’s stakeholder model, with representation from AEC, EAS and EMU. It was underpinned by an extensive consultation process, including discussion of interim proposals at EMU’s General Assembly in June 2024, several rounds of deliberation within the MusiQuE Board, and a feedback survey running from September 2024 to June 2025 with input from EMU’s Regional Groups and other partners. All contributions were carefully considered in shaping the final version, which was endorsed by the MusiQuE Board in November 2025.

MusiQuE is proud to present the new Standards for Music Schools and Pre-College Institutions, officially published on its website in December 2025, and looks forward to seeing how institutions across Europe and beyond will use them to support continuous improvement in music education.

You can see the revised standards here.