2022-2024

Between 2022 and 2024, MusiQuE was responsible for the external evaluation of the ARTEMIS Project, officially called Empowering Artists as Makers in Society, co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Commission and coordinated by the Association of European Conservatories (AEC).

A Quality Assurance Committee of four members conducted the evaluation by participating in project activities and reviewing materials produced. In 2023, an interim report was issued, assessing the performance of each working group against the MusiQuE framework, including their processes, methods, results, and dissemination activities. The report also provided recommendations. The final report is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

12-14 December 2023
University of the Arts The Hague, The Netherlands

The review took place in the framework of the Dutch Branch Protocol Quality Assurance Research – Brancheprotocol Kwaliteitszorg Onderzoek (BKO) which legislates that each research unit undergoes external peer review on a regular basis, every six years. This review represents the first joint review process involving both faculties of HdK – KC and KABK – who previously underwent separate reviews.

The eight standards in the MusiQuE Framework for the Evaluation of Research Activities have been mapped against the four BKO standards, and this combined framework has been used by the Review Team in reviewing and reflecting on research activities at HdK, and in writing this report.

May – December 2022
Alamire Foundation, Leuven, Belgium

Following a call for tenders issued by the Department of Economy, Science and Innovation, MusiQuE was assigned with the task of evaluating the Alamire Foundation, as part of the institute’s agreements with the Flemish Government regarding scientific research over the period 1 July 2018 – 30 June 2023. This evaluation took place in the period May 2022 – December 2022 and was guided by an evaluation steering committee consisting of representatives of the EWI Department.

MusiQuE appointed a team of experts who developed a set of evaluation questions; conducted a desk study, interviews, a benchmarking exercise and an analysis of the Alamire Foundation’s output and its future plans. Finally, the MusiQuE Team produced a final evaluation report with its findings – looks back (ex-post perspective) as well as forward to the future of the institution (ex-ante perspective).

15-17 March 2021 and 22-24 March 2021
Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, Riga, Latvia

Five online visits took place over two periods at different departments of the academy: (Department of Voice, Department of Choreography, Department of Music Performance and Instruments, Department of Conducting, Department of Composition and Music Theory, Department of Jazz). Due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, visits were organised via an online platform and included individual lessons, group classes and meetings with the executive Board, heads of departments, faculty members (including management and teaching staff) and students.

Five MusiQuE Peer Reviewers appointed as field experts draw observations related to four domains: Goals, design and delivery of the study programmes, Teaching and learning environment, Quality culture and Public interaction, using the Handbook for Critical Friend Review as reference. For each department, they also pointed out main strengths, weaknesses and suggestions for improvement measures.

Each Peer Reviewer has produced a confidential report addressed to the department they have visited.

2019 – 2022
European Music Council, Bonn, Germany

MusiQuE was responsible for the external evaluation of a multiannual project coordinated by the European Music Council (EMC) in the context of Creative Europe – Support to European Networks funded by the European Commission.

Every year, a MusiQuE Peer Reviewer was appointed as external evaluator to the project, attending project activities and reviewing material produced by the project. Four evaluation reports (confidential) have been issued, presenting an evaluation of strategic goals and implemented activities by EMC during each year based on evaluation materials including documentation and interviews with EMC Office and President and partner members.

January – June 2021
Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium

Following a call for tenders issued by the Flemish Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, MusiQuE was assigned with the task of evaluating the Orpheus Institute, as part of the institute’s agreements with the Flemish Department of Education and Training, and the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (EWI).

MusiQuE appointed a team of experts who conducted a desk study, interviews, a benchmark analysis and an analysis of Orpheus’ output. The MusiQuE Team prepared a set of evaluation questions to be answered by Review Panels chosen by EWI and coordinated the online site-visit in March 2021. Finally, the MusiQuE Team produced a final evaluation report with its findings – looking at the Institute ex-post as well as ex-ante-, conclusions and recommendations.

March – November 2020
Commissioned by the Orpheus Institute, Ghent, Belgium

The Orpheus Institute (OI), required to provide the Flemish Ministry of Education with a report of a benchmarking exercise including at least three comparable international organisations, commissioned MusiQuE to organise it. The OI selected the following benchmarking partners:

• Doctoral School for Artistic Research, University of Music and Performing Arts, Graz, Austria
• Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
• Research and Knowledge Exchange Department, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow, UK

MusiQuE and the OI established a set of key themes and questions building on the MusiQuE Standards for Programme Review, which OI and all partners were asked to answer. A MusiQuE Peer Reviewer then analysed all data collected and produced a (confidential) report, comparing data and sharing observations and reflections focusing on potential areas of further development.

March – November 2020
Commissioned by the International Opera Academy, Ghent, Belgium

The International Opera Academy (IOA), required to provide the Flemish Ministry of Education with a report of a benchmarking exercise including at least three comparable international organisations, commissioned MusiQuE to organise it. The IOA selected the following benchmarking partners:

• School of Vocal Studies and Opera, Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, United Kingdom
• Department of Opera, Stockholm University of the Arts (UniArts), Stockholm, Sweden
• Stuttgart Opera Institute, University of Music and Performing Arts, Stuttgart, Germany

MusiQuE and the IOA formulated a questionnaire building on the MusiQuE Standards for Programme Review and on the areas of investigation pointed out by the IOA, which IOA and all partners were asked to answer. MusiQuE then appointed a Peer Reviewer in charge of analysing all data and producing a report (confidential) for the IOA, comparing data and sharing observations and reflections focusing on potential areas of further development.

26-27 February 2020
Institut de Recherche en Musique et Arts de la Scène (IRMAS), Geneva, Switzerland

This external evaluation focused on research activities undertaken at IRMAS as the associated research institute of the Haute école spécialisée de Suisse Occidentale from 2015 to the evaluation date.

IRMAS’ activities and results were evaluated against the four domains and eight evaluation criteria of the MusiQuE Framework for the Evaluation of Research Activities.

March-September 2019
Commissioned by University of the Arts ‘’Uniarts’’, Helsinki, Finland

The University of the Arts Helsinki (Uniarts) commissioned MusiQuE to coordinate a benchmarking project, with the aim to engage in a dialogue and exchange best practices with interdisciplinary Higher Music and Arts Education Institutions to develop in further institutions offering education in multiple art disciplines.

Three institutions were selected to become partners in the project, namely:

• Academy of Music and Drama, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• Bern University of the Arts, Switzerland
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow, United Kingdom

The project aimed at providing Uniarts and the partnering institutions with information on how art universities forge their identities and create synergies between several faculties and/or departments. Another one of the purposes was to share examples of how an increased cooperation between different institutional units can generate added value. The results of the exercise, presented in seminar and compiled in a report (confidential), could serve to further develop interdisciplinary institutions and underpin their strategic plans.

9-11 April 2019
Conservatory of Music and Drama, Technological University Dublin – Conservatoire, Dublin, Ireland

A MusiQuE Peer Reviewer, acting as consultant and using the MusiQuE Standards for Institutional Review as reference framework, provided the institution with recommendations on the administrative support delivered at the Conservatoire with the aim of meeting international performing arts conservatoire levels. The visit took place in the context of the restructuration of TU Dublin and its colleges, where Dublin Conservatoire was also redefined.

The report (confidential) gives detail of the challenges to be addressed on the organisation and structure of the Conservatoire as well as possible solutions.

26 October 2018
Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana (CSI), Lugano, Switzerland

The review of the Pre-Professionale/Pre-College (PRE) programme (for high school students) was a means to raise awareness of the PRE programme and to pave the way for a national debate in relation to the implementation of the federal constitutional article about music education, in particular the support and provision of specialized music education for talented youth.

Feedback from an international panel after twenty years of existence and the aim of becoming ‘fit’ for the future were additional reasons. This was the first time a Swiss Pre-college programme was be subject of an international review.

*This report results from a quality enhancement review undertaken outside the scope of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG), as it does not relate to teaching and learning in higher education.

15-17 February 2017
Royal Conservatoire The Hague, The Netherlands

The review took place in the framework of the Branch Protocol Quality Assurance Research (‘Brancheprotocol Kwaliteitszorg Onderzoek – BKO’) 2016-2022. This protocol suggests that each research unit should undergo an external peer-review on a regular basis that aims to assess the quality of the research that has been carried out by the research unit and to get an impression of which quality assurance measures are in place that will help the research unit to monitor the quality of its research activities internally.

As MusiQuE had recently developed a Framework for the External Evaluation of Research Centres, structured in Domains and Pillars, a joint set of standards was prepared for this quality enhancement procedure, including both the five standards of the Branch Protocol for Quality Assurance in Research and the MusiQuE Domains and Pillars.

*Because of the specific focus of this quality enhancement review, this procedure may not be compatible with all principles of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG).

24-25 November 2016
School for Young Talent (SfYT), The Hague, The Netherlands

The aim of the review was twofold. On the one hand, the SfYT sought expert advice from peers in the field of pre-college music education on the functioning of the SfYT and, in particular, to get feedback on the delivery and content of its music curriculum and the artistic standards reached by the SfYT’s pupils. On the other hand, the site-visit also offered the SfYT an opportunity to position itself at the centre of the debate about the review and quality enhancement of pre-college music education providers, by testing the Standards for Pre-college Music Education which had been recently developed.

* This report results from a quality enhancement review undertaken outside the scope of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area (ESG), as it does not relate to teaching and learning in higher education.