International Strategy - International Cooperations of the University of Music Lübeck (MHL)
Internationalism relates to a historically grown component of German music schools, as well as to a growing demand for strategic orientation. A focusing and clarifying of the many international exchange programs and projects seems to be necessary. Quantity and networking have developed strongly. However, reflecting and discussing the content have often been of secondary importance or were not necessarily the starting point for strategic considerations.

Based on the declaration of the HRK from November 18, 2008, one may note that it is not just the task of academic education to qualify young students for their future jobs. We are also asked to cultivate a consciousness for a so-called "citizen of the world". (Beside the term "citizen of the world" with its numerous interpretations, the HRK has also coined the term "transnationalism" as one of its corner stones. How far this may be of importance for art departments is an open question. Cultural diversity has never been bound to nations, but rather to ethnic areas. Therefore, also the other term "trans culturalism" (Wolfgang Welsch) is only partly relevant. The potential standardization has not yet been discussed critically enough. The perception and differentiation of diversity is still the primary task.)

At the same time, internationalism is also a quite colorful term and is often perceived and understood too one-dimensionally. Only to state that German music schools have a high percentage of foreign students and teachers or conducting biased marketing actions in foreign countries do not fulfill the strategic, political, and social dimension that is needed. Internationalism is learning from other people and other cultures; acquiring and practicing openness and change of perspectives as well as opening up for new and unknown horizons that are in demand. The high portion of foreign students at German music schools is certainly a good pre-requisite for mutual learning and esteem. But it can be additionally supported and extended with the study of the cultural conditions and backgrounds of those foreign colleagues.

Internationalism is a relevant term related to diversity. It distinguishes our world and our cultures. Seen from that perspective, internationalism implies a political as well as a sociological component. A practiced and reflected internationalism finally leads to a music school of diversity and is an important element of an open, critical – and central – pluralistic society. Therefore, the center of all strategic considerations consists of three elements:

• 1. the conveying of diversity and difference;
• 2. the development of a conscious for the "Other" and
• 3. the cultivation (or the support) of the experience of the "Other".

Inevitably internationalism leads as well to a lot of terms like intercultural, plurality, historicism, cross-over and trans-culturalism, just to name a few. The newly introduced term poly-culturalism can hereby be identified as the peak of the iceberg of a diverse and complex debate. First of all, it is important to define the borders. After that, it can be determined what an art school is able to achieve. It certainly cannot accompany long-time processes, nor is it possible to form individual biographies. However, the study conditions and a broad, content-based offer can be regarded as valuable contributions. They may show new alternatives and perspectives to young people.

Internationalism should not be confused with exaggerated activism and the creation of a list of as many cooperation contracts as possible. International exchange must be formed in suitable spaces of reflexion. Especially in the study of music, there must be a crucial balance between level-headedness, concentration, and the necessary plurality of impressions and encounters. The latter aspect has to be given special attention and scrutiny. It asks for a balance of long- and short-term actions with a quite individual character.

Since 1911, the MHL cultivates our big cultural heritage. Thereby, the MHL offers an ideal fundament for the testing of new paths and visionary ideas. This takes place in research, as well as in its main field of artistic practice and its mediation of music.

At the same time, the MHL is an important element of the musical life in Schleswig-Holstein and Germany. We prepare the future artists and music teachers in a practice-oriented and modern way for their coming everyday life as musicians. We are also the biggest concert organizer in Schleswig-Holstein with over 300 concerts in a year, including symphonic concerts, opera productions, chamber music, but also pop concerts. The conception and trial of new concert forms is also an important matter of concern to us. Lübeck is pulsating; and we – the teachers, students, and staff of MHL – are the elementary parts, but also the catalysts of that cultural life in Lübeck, in Germany, but also internationally.

The MHL knows its own strengths which it would like to communicate to partners all over the world. Highest artistic demands are always closely connected with a continuously successful concept of networking between different faculties. Due to their close interacting, practice, theory, and science constitute the basis of education/training in artistic as well as pedagogical programs. But on the other side, we are happy as well with any enrichment from outside that has been revealed gained by the exchange with other cultures and their respective institutions.

So far, the international alignment of the University of Music Lübeck (MHL) is primarily given by the fact that a comparably high percentage of foreign students are studying here. By that there is already a certain richness of impressions and ideas. Parallel to that, the importance of international cooperations has grown immensely, and all national universities have installed cooperation projects with foreign universities, mainly in the field of scientific research. The universities of arts are still at their beginnings in this process. The difficulty is that mathematics is the same all over the world. There is not a Chinese, German or Russian science of mathematics. In art it is completely the opposite, and we should not ignore that, but rather grasp that "dormant" chance or challenge provided by that fact.

The increased international perspective of the MHL also plays a similar important role for the profiling of the attached Brahms-Institute. As part of its strategy during the last years, the significant, internationally esteemed collection has been offered to the public digitally. This policy of "open access", which so far has been financed by the Hermann Reemtsma Foundation (Hamburg) should be continued and finalized as a pre-requisite of international perception.

Besides, the Brahms-Institute is part of numerous international networks and strategic partnerships. The collaboration is focusing on exhibitions, symposiums, or conjunct publications. The international exchange is primarily focused on research. Especially in regard to "Interpretation Research" or "Artistic Research", further cooperations would be useful. Special symposiums and summer schools at the location could further contribute to an ongoing sharpening of our profile. First steps in this direction already happen as it is demonstrated with the cooperation with the SHMF. Here foreign guests are invited to the regular symposiums.

In regard to teaching, the Brahms-Institute could play a more important role in future for the profile sharpening of the MHL. In the creating and developing of bi-lingual international study programs, this institute would certainly become an attractive point of interest.

Important and already activated fundaments of students' and teachers' mobility are the use of Erasmus+ and other DAAD programs. The presidency has already started to formulate bilateral relations with some selected international universities.

Internationalism as part of the educational process enables the students to act better in a global world because of their own mobility as well as because of a growing change of the population structure in times of intensive migration.

Therefore, the infra structure and the structure of study programs at the MHL must make the following aspects possible:

• International students should show interest to study full or part-time at the MHL.
• Formally and practically, these students should be enabled to conduct a full or part-time study.
• The campus and the study structure should facilitate the exchange between students.
• The study structure must be easily comprehensive for foreign students, that they will be able to cope with the program.
• The framework (scholarships, welcome culture, university networks, language courses, etc.) must exist for foreign students in full or part-time study. This framework must be clearly supportive and comprehensive.

All actions and infra-structural institutions take care of the principle that it is an academic study program that enables the student in self-reliant thinking and acting. The basic principles of our strategy therefore could be called:

• the MHL in the worl,
• the world at and in the MHL,
• the MHL as a university of diversity and cultural encounter.

For example, in future we hope to be able to invite guest teachers for a longer time span (1 or 2 semesters). A model could be considered, where we invite a specialist of Indian music, who will give seminars and practical workshops. But at the same time, this person deepens his/her knowledge of Western music in form of a contact study. The respective financing must then be clarified in every individual case.

Furthermore, we have thought about more intercultural concert projects (teaching combined with practice in orchestra, chamber music, etc.) where teachers as well as students would be involved.

It will then be the task of the MHL to reflect about English-speaking or bilingual programs, especially in the field of Master and further education. Quite often, international cooperation projects take place with a very limited and restricted time span. At the same time a high language competence is asked for, in order to achieve artistic results in very short time.  

Strategy – International Relations University of Music Lübeck (MHL)

Conservatory of Music, Xi’an/China
Since 2002 we have a close cooperation with the conservatory in Xi’an, China. The main target is an intensive exchange of teachers and students.

Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music, Bangkok/Thailand
The cooperation with this young but exciting institute has currently two focusses. Firstly, selected students of this Bangkok-based institute are given the chance to gather experience in orchestra playing in our orchestra projects. Secondly, the MHL supports the development process of this institution with teachers for short-time periods. We also help plan and conduct their annual international symposium.

State University Fullerton (School of Music), California/USA
This cooperation has mainly to do with the jazz department of Fullerton. Students of the MHL should be given the possibility to intensify their knowledge and experience in the field of jazz and pop music. Students from Fullerton should be enabled to expand their knowledge of European concert music.

Geidai University of Arts, Tokyo/Japan
The focus of this cooperation is chamber music. Beside the exchange of teaching personnel, regular concert projects with chamber music are intended.

Taiwan National University of Arts (TNUA), Taipei/Taiwan
Of all the possibilities of cooperation, we have decided to begin with jazz and larger woodwind/brass ensembles.

Chiayi University, Chiayi/Taiwan
This cooperation focusses on regular chamber music projects, mainly for woodwinds.

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), Bandung/Indonesia
The music department of this very big Indonesian university (with all faculties) is responsible for the education of music teachers of all kinds, although mainly for formal schools. The music department deals with Western and the diversity of local music forms. The Master as well as the PhD programs focus on ethnomusicological documentation and its didactical follow-up. Therefore, the exchange concentrates on ethnomusicology and composition. Furthermore, the MHL is engaged in developing an EMP-program (Bachelor and Master) at UPI.

Université de Montreal, Montreal/Canada
Here we have a mutual exchange in all artistic areas (teacher and students) Concordia University, Montreal/Canada This cooperation shall focus on electroacoustical music and research in media. The music department at Concordia is specialized in various forms of this field.

State Conservatory Tiblisi/Georgia
see at ERASMUS.

College of Music, Mahidol University, Bangkok/Thailand
Since 2015 we have a close cooperation with the College of Music of the Mahidol University in Bangkok/Thailand. The main target is an intensive exchange of teachers and students.

Gnessin Music Academy Moscow/Russia
The main target is an intensive exchange of teachers and students.

• Xi’an Konservatorium, China
• Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music, Bangkok/Thailand
• State University Fullerton (School of Music), Californien/USA
• Geidai University of Arts, Tokyo/Japan
• Taiwan National University of Arts (TNUA), Taipei/Taiwan
• Chiayi University, Chiayi/Taiwan
• Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), Bandung/Indonesien
• Université de Montreal, Montreal/Canada
• Concordia University, Montreal/Canada
• State Conservatory Tiblisi/Georgien
• College of Music, Mahidol University, Bangkok/Thailand

International Office
Große Petersgrube 4
23552 Lübeck

Head
Iwona A. Kwiatkowski
204
T: +49 (0)451-1505-323
F: +49 (0)451-1505-303
Mail to Mrs. Kwiatkowski

Berit Harms
204
T: +49 (0)451-1505-322
F: +49 (0)451-1505-303
Mail to Mrs. Harms