Steffani Conservatory’s process of internationalization began with its initial participation in the Socrates/Erasmus Programme in 2006, even though before that there were sporadic collaborations with universities and conservatories both in Europe and North America. Further development in the internationalization of the institution took place with the participation in LLP/Erasmus and Erasmus+ Programmes. After 10 years of staff and student mobility with Institutions of European Countries (Programme Countries), from 2016 ICM projects – International Credit Mobility (KA107) have been activated with Argentina, Moldova and Mozambique as Partner Countries.

The process of modernization of the Conservatory has proceeded step by step with the process of internationalization described below, in that the institution has complied with standard criteria requested by ensuing Erasmus Programmes and adapted to the necessities arisen during the realization of the mobility projects.

In particular, two ICM projects already concluded (Call 2016 and 2017) and two others still being carried out (Call 2018 and 2019) have launched the Steffani Conservatory in a planetary dimension that has seen it welcome students and teachers from Eastern Europe, South America and Africa, besides sending students and staff members in almost all European countries. The collaborating Partner Countries Institutions are: AMTAP – Academy of Music, Theatre and Visual Arts, Chisinau, Moldova; Musiarte Conservatory, Eduardo Mondlane University and Maputo Pedagogic University, Mozambique; UNSAM – National University of San Martin, Buenos Aires, Argentina. In particular, the work carried out by teachers from the Conservatory has been a tremendous help in the formation of new Mozambican teaching staff, and in the final analysis also to the development of the African country’s entire system of music education. The ICM Project carried out with Argentina has instead laid the foundations for the future realization of an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree, currently being developed for the Call 2021. A further projection towards the extreme east of Europe has been set up in a new ICM project that envisages the collaboration of a Siberian Institution situated in the Russian Federation: the DHSSAA – Dimitri Hvorostovsky Siberian State Academy of Arts in Krasnoyarsk.

Ultimately it can be considered that such projects contribute to the growth in appeal of the overall system of European formation for students coming from beyond Europe, and in particular for artistic studies and performing arts.

From 2010 the Steffani Conservatory is a member of AEC – the European Association of Conservatories – and regularly participates in annual conferences that encourage the meeting of international partners, updating staff on latest tendencies, sharing good practice and establishing new contacts for international collaboration. The participation as member of the AEC’s activities has revealed itself as a catalyst for positively addressing and resolving many of the questions arising from the Erasmus Programme.

The Institution’s strategy of internationalization has been carried out parallel to the realization of the Erasmus and Erasmus+ projects of the last 10 years or so, also benefiting from the contacts and international collaborations that have been instigated. The principal aim of updating the ECHE and participating in future Erasmus programmes is therefore the strengthening of the process of the Institution’s internationalization, since such a programme has in the past been its principal driving force.

At the present moment, the Steffani Conservatory’s strategy of internationalization foresees the following actions:

– The strengthening of the entire staff’s linguistic capabilities (director, teaching staff, administration, assistants) to allow them to welcome foreign students and propose a curriculum also carried out in English. From 2017 different level courses in English have been organized for the Conservatory’s teaching and administrative personnel, using a part of Erasmus project funding (Organisational Support). The principal aim of such this initiative is to be able to introduce a certain number of English language courses in the Conservatory’s curriculum.

– The upgrading of the International Relations Office through the institution of an International Relations Coordination and of Erasmus activities between the Veneto conservatories that constitute the Consortium of the seven Veneto Conservatories (www.ccven.org.). Such a prospective would render available the collective expertise and contacts in the international field of seven AFAM institutions that operate in adjacent regions and would represent a growing factor in international activities from a qualitative and quantitative point of view.

– Development of the Partner Institutions’ network, at the present time, about 50, both in the European Union (Programme Countries), and in the rest of the world (Partner Countries) with an increase in the quality of collaboration, not only from the point of view of formation but also formation.

– The establishment of a System of accommodation as part of the Conservatory itself in order to resolve the inadequacies of the town of Castelfranco Veneto and the province of Treviso regarding board and lodging, transport and general facilities essential for incoming students. The system will be integrated with the data and expertise of the Erasmus Office and the Conservatory’s student’s consultation committee, the ESU, Padua – Regional Department for the Study Rights, Veneto Region (http://www.esu.pd.it/), the municipality of Castelfranco Veneto and Treviso and of the ESN – Padua’s Erasmus Student Network. To this end, it has been proposed to the Conservatory’s student’s consultation committee to set up a section of the ESN for the province of Treviso at Castelfranco Veneto and for this purpose Padua’s ESN section has agreed to collaborate.

With reference to the objectives proposed by the EU Commission to establish a European Education Area enabling all young people to benefit from the best education and training, and also to find employment across Europe, the strategic sectors proposed to implement them are:

a) The mutual recognition of qualifications and work experience abroad with the systematic use of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and the Diploma Supplement. It should be noted however that both the ECTS system and the DS are at the moment regularly used by the Steffani Conservatory.

b) The improvement in linguistic abilities (boost language learning by the end of compulsory education by focusing on achieving specific competence levels – introduce into education and training the concept of language awareness, which provides an inclusive framework for language learning taking into account individuals’ language skills – identify and promote innovative, inclusive and multilingual teaching methods using tools and platforms at the EU-level, such as the School Education Gateway and eTwinning).

c) The increase in the use of digital technology for learning, improving its employment despite already being present in the Conservatory, and developing at all levels the technological capabilities of teachers, students and administration personnel. In regards to this, it should be pointed out that the recent experience of the Covid19 emergency has imposed upon the Steffani Conservatory a speeding up of the implementation of digital technologies used in teaching music, in that the Institute has found it necessary to continue its academic programme during a ‘lockdown’ situation imposed by health issues. The Conservatory has managed to guarantee an online fruition of courses for almost 90% of the total.

d) The full digital management of Erasmus mobility, being aware of the importance that a complete digitalization has for its increase both qualitatively and quantitatively. Already during 2021 the Erasmus Without Paper network will be used for the exchange of student mobility data, in such a way as to prepared for the obligations envisaged by the new Erasmus Programme that are specified according to the following intermediate phases: 2021 – to manage inter-institutional agreements and online learning agreements; 2022 – to send and receive student nominations and acceptances: 2023 – to exchange transcripts of records related to student mobility. To this end, it should be noted that the Steffani Conservatory has already joined the Erasmus Dashboard tool ( https://www.erasmus-dashboard.eu ) designed to support HEIs with the administration of mobility. It allows for the management of incoming and outgoing students, sign and review their Online Learning Agreements (OLA) as well as communicate with students and partner institutions.

e) The improvement of the educational process through the analysis of data, in such a way as to render project-making possible through foresight.

f) The full membership of the European Student Card Initiative which will enable every student to easily and safely identify and register themselves electronically at higher education institutions within Europe when moving abroad for studies, eliminating the need to complete onsite registration procedures and paper work.

g) The promotion through one’s own Erasmus+ App students launched in occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Erasmus Programme by the European Commission with the European University Foundation and the Erasmus Student Network offering information and incentives.

In the perspective of the Conservatory’s strategy of internationalization and modernization, described above, the activities of the new Erasmus Programme to which one intends to participate are:

1. The mobility of higher education students and staff

The mobility of students and members of staff that one intends to realise concerns study, teaching and traineeship. The latter student mobility can be carried out during the period of study (curricular traineeship) or during the 12 months following the diploma (traineeship post-diploma). Up to now, the Steffani Conservatory has carried out mobility projects in the framework of two different Erasmus activities: a. KA103 (Programme Countries); b. KA107 (Partner Countries). Until now both types of activities have witnessed the carrying out of mobility of all typologies: study, curricular and post-diploma traineeship for students and recent graduates, teaching for educators, traineeship for staff. Besides, as a member of the Consortium Working With Music, the Steffani Conservatory has carried out since 2017 numerous mobility for recently graduated students. The Institution will continue in the direction undertaken, increasing both the quality and quantity of the mobility. One is aiming therefore at doubling both the number of Partner Institutions in Programme Countries (presently 41) and in Partner Countries (presently 5) ( https://www.conscfv.it/istituti-partner/ ). We consider the mobility as a key factor in the implementing and strengthening of the quality policy pursued by our Institution. In particular, experience tells us that each student or professor returning from an international project, works as a quality multiplier, since she or he will have a lively exchange of ideas with her/his colleagues, pointing out the fields in which we can and should improve, and the other in which we already have achieved a competitive level, or a leading, preeminent position.

       2. Partnerships for Cooperation and exchanges of practices

Since the situation is always extremely fluid, we see as vital that we continue to pursue this strategy of open communication and comparison between institutions. Another activity that will be carried out is the enlargement of the partners’ network which should include not only HEIs, but also enterprises such as EU and non-EU orchestras and theatres. These relationships should bridge the gap among cultures and create a multicultural music environment which, needless to say, will contribute to offer new challenges to our students and teachers. In this respect Steffani Conservatory intends to elaborate – during the seven years of the new Erasmus Programme – a project of Capacity Building with Mozambique, using the experience gained with the Institutions of this Partner Country in the already realized ICM KA107 projects. To achieve this goal, the united expertise of the aforementioned Consortium of Veneto Conservatories, comprising of the seven conservatories in the region (www.ccven.org), will be called upon.

     3. Partnerships for Excellence – Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees

The intention of carrying out in the future one or more Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree-EMJMD represents one of the aims of the ICM Erasmus projects already realized. In this very moment, in fact, the Steffani Conservatory is negotiating to establish a JMD that will have the denomination of “CMJMD-Contemporary Music Joint Master Degree” with three Argentinian institutions in Buenos Aires. CMFALLA – Superior Conservatory of Music Manuel de Falla, UNA – National University of the Arts, and UNSAM – National University of San Martin. The EMJMD project also foresees the participation of three Programme Country Institutions: Krakow Academy of Music-AMUZ-Poland, Superior Music Conservatory, Castilla y Leon-COSCYL-Salamanca, Spain, and the Steffani Conservatory as leading institution. The presentation of the project in the Call Erasmus is expected to take place in 2021. If the realization of the EMJMD project is successful it would pave the way to further JMD projects, an additional reason for which the international dimension of the Steffani Conservatory would be greatly increased and various objectives indicated in the EPS without doubt achieved.

For the next Erasmus+ Programme, in reference to activity 1. (The mobility of higher education students and staff), the target groups of our mobility activities are 1st and 2nd cycle students. In fact the 3rd cycle of studies is not yet present in the Italian AFAM system. But we are also endeavouring to help younger students (propaedeutic level) understand the importance of a transnational education by means of specific projects and masterclasses with foreign Professors. The most important objectives to achieve are:

– The creation of a multicultural environment where students and teachers can learn from foreign experiences; – The increase in the number of incoming and outgoing staff and students;

– The promotion of working experiences abroad (traineeships);

– The promotion of the administrative staff mobility in order to establish a fruitful cooperation of managerial practices and the quick solution of administrative problems.

During the last ten years or so, the participation of the Steffani Conservatory in the LLP/Erasmus and Erasmus+ Programmes has been an extremely important growth factor, particularly regarding quality. However, the increase has also been quantitative in that the number of international students in the institution has more than doubled. In particular, there has been great increase in 2nd cycle (Master Degree) students coming not only from the EU and neighbouring countries such as the Ukraine and the Balkan states, but also, and mainly from countries in other continents (China, the United States and Africa). Besides, the frequent presence in the Conservatory of teachers coming from foreign institutions holding short-term courses or masterclasses, has greatly enriched the quality of the musical education provided. An important indication for the Steffani Conservatory is the progressive increase in students coming from other Italian provinces and regions, particularly enrolling in 2nd cycle courses. This is also thanks to several strategic choices made by the Conservatory that has promoted teaching excellence in its own academic staff, and by introducing important 2nd cycle master courses as, for example, “Piano soloist repertory and with orchestra” and “Audio-visual composition and sound design”, that have attracted students from all over Italy and from abroad. Considering such premises one can expect a further positive impact from the activities that will be part of the new Erasmus Programme. For an evaluation of the impact of mobility activity that will be taking place during the next five-year period, the following quantitative indicators will be useful, particularly if compared to present data: – the overall number of students who enrol at the Conservatory; – the number of students who enter 2nd level courses; – the number of students and recent graduates of the Conservatory who take part in Erasmus mobility, both for study and traineeship; – the number of teachers and other staff members who undertake mobility with foreign institutions; – the number of teachers and incoming mobility staff from foreign institutions. As far as the qualitative indicators are concerned, the following are particularly useful: – the presence of students and recent graduates who have won international music competitions; – – the presence of recent graduates in high-level professional music activities, both national and international (in orchestras, production centres, musical organisation); – the presence of recent graduates as teachers in secondary music schools and higher education. One can expect a progressive increase from the data provided by these indicators, even arriving at a doubling of the numbers at the conclusion of the new cycle of the Erasmus Programme. In reference to activity 2. (Partnerships for Cooperation and exchanges of practices), during the next seven years of the new Erasmus Programme, the Steffani Conservatory intends to establish a project of Capacity Building with a developing Partner Country, as for example, Mozambique. To this aim, the intention is to reunite the resources of the above-mentioned Consortium of Veneto Conservatories, that brings together the seven conservatories present in the region (www.ccven.org). The experience acquired during the preparation of the Capacity Building “BHESMAM – Building a Higher Education System for Music and Performing Arts in Mozambique” that the Steffani Conservatory submitted in the Call Erasmus 2017, though not having had a follow-up, would be precious for the presentation of such a project. Also very useful would be the experience matured during the various ICM KA107 projects already realized with Mozambique. The proposed time schedule for the preparation of the new project of Capacity Building is the following: a. presentation of the project in the Call Erasmus 2022; b. realization of the project within 2027. In reference to activity 3. (Partnerships for Excellence – Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees), and regarding the realization of one or more EMJMD mentioned in the previous section, the following time schedule has been put forward for the preparation of the new project “CMJMD – Contemporary Music Joint Master Degree”: a. presentation of the project in the Call Erasmus 2021; b. launching of the project within 2022; c. conclusion of the project within 2017. As far as the preparation and realization of other EMJMD projects, that should be under the aegis of the afore-cited Consortium of Veneto Conservatories (www.ccven.org), one envisages a period following 2022, both for the presentation in a Call Erasmus and its implementation.