The MusiQuE Conference and 10th Anniversary Celebration took place on 2 October 2024 at the University Foundation in Brussels. The event featured engaging presentations and panel discussions, bringing together key figures from MusiQuE, higher music education institutions, stakeholders from the music education and from the profession as well as from the European quality assurance sector. 75 participants from 23 countries reflected on MusiQuE’s remarkable progress over the past decade while engaging in dynamic discussions.
The conference began with an opening session featuring reflections from Chair of the MusiQuE Board Jacques Moreau, MusiQuE director Linda Messas, and MusiQuE Board Member Orla McDonagh on MusiQuE’s development, its achievements in the past 10 years and its envisioned role in the future.
The rest of the morning was dedicated to two sessions exploring MusiQuE’s impact on the sector:
- From the point of view of the institutions: representatives from three reviewed institutions: Joris Blanckaert from KASK & Conservatorium in Ghent (Belgium), Marko Vatovec from Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Eleonoor Tchernoff from Royal Conservatoire The Hague (The Netherlands) shared specific recommendations made by the MusiQuE Review Team or Critical Friend reviewing their institution and discussed the impact that the MusiQuE review had on their institution as well as how MusiQuE distinguishes from generic quality assurance systems, particularly through its enhancement-led, subject-specific, and transnational approach.
- From the point of view of the music sector (education and profession): the final morning session featured a panel discussion with representatives of MusiQuE partner organisations: Michaela Hahn (European Music School Union – EMU), Finn Schumacker (AEC), Anita Debaere (Pearle*-Live Performance Europe), Thomas Geudens (European Association of Music in School – EAS), as well as a representative of the European Performing Arts Students’ Association – EPASA, Miranda Harmer. During this lively discussion, speakers explored how MusiQuE’s impact on the sector could be strengthened and discussed potential directions to best serve arts education institutions in the future. The audience actively participated, sharing insights on these important topics.
The next session provided an opportunity for three representatives from different institutions (Katarzyna Bartos, Karol Lipiński Academy of Music, Wroclaw, Poland; Anne Nicole, Haute école de musique de Genève, Switzerland; Aniina Wikman Yates, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London, UK) to share and discuss the quality assurance and enhancement practices in their institutions, highlighting both the benefits and the challenges they encounter.
Throughout the session about Being a Peer-Reviewer, participants reflected on what they have learned as peer reviewers, discussing how these experiences have influenced their professional lives within their institutions and demonstrating the impact that MusiQuE has had in this regard. Participants were then introduced to emerging trends in quality assurance within higher education, challenges of the cross-border quality assurance and recent policy developments at the EU level. The panel comprising Anna Gover (European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education – ENQA), Kinga Szuly, (European Commission), and Alexander Šušnjar, (European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education – EQAR) also reflected on MusiQuE’s position paper and explored specific actions to further facilitate transnational Quality Assurance.
Finally, the wonderful duo of longstanding MusiQuE’s ambassadors Celia Duffy and Mist Thorkelsdottir offered a wrap-up of the day and reflections on MusiQuE’s impact and future directions.
MusiQuE extends its sincere thanks to all the participants and speakers and looks forward to future collaborations and contributions to the development of quality assurance in music and arts education.
Presentations from the conference are accessible via this link.
