Performance Contract - The Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus 2003-06 1. Introduction This contract is a framework contract between the Danish Ministry of Culture and the Royal Academy of Music, Aarhus on the principal targets and performance requirements for the period 2003-06. 2. Mission The Act on Tertiary Artistic Education Institutions under the Auspices of the Ministry of Culture (cf. Consolidation Act No. 889 of September 21, 2000) states that the mission of the Academy, along with Denmark's other music academies, is to provide training in music and music teaching to the highest level and otherwise contribute to the advancement of music in Denmark. The Academy is also to carry on artistic and pedagogical development activities and may, on a scientific basis, undertake research in its specialist fields. The Academy aims to be a nationally recognised academy of music which provides education and carries out research in music and music teaching to the highest level in such a way that students are as well qualified and equipped as possible for employment in the musical professions both now and in the future. The Academy also aims to be an internationally recognised academy of music, in the sense that it is in a position to develop and maintain close networks with recognised European music academies and achieve international recognition in selected specialist fields. The main challenge facing the Academy during the period of agreement will be the implementation of the Bologna Declaration, with the creation of a 3+2 (bachelor's/master's degree) structure and ECTS standardization. Given the major impact these changes will have on the whole of the Academy's operations, the Academy wishes to develop a clearer profile. It has historically been a strength for the Academy to bring all musical genres together. The Academy has had a clear profile in new classical music and has also served as a dynamo for development in rhythmic music. However, the Academy's current profile is more of an institutional inheritance than an expression of a conscious choice. The Academy therefore faces the major challenge of developing a clearer profile in the education sector relative to both the musical food chain and the musical professions. A clearer profile will help to attract high-quality applicants to the Academy and more targeted marketing of graduates in the musical professions. It will also help the Academy to play a more active role in strengthening the musical food chain and in international collaboration between music academies in selected areas. With respect to the technical content of its study programmes, the Academy wishes to take account of the following considerations: Both the international benchmarking of the Danish music academies and the Education Council for Music have identified a need for the academies to introduce internal quality management to ensure more systematic control of the quality of their study programmes. The Academy plans to embark on this work during the period of agreement. Finally the Academy will improve both the professional and the social environment at the Academy with a view to strengthening internal interaction and collaboration between students, between members of the teaching staff and between students, teaching staff and management. This target is included in the Academy's action plan. As part of the continued improvement of the quality of its study programmes, the Academy wishes to focus on the relationship between the Academy's study programmes and the musical professions' needs. The idea is both to develop the vocational content of the programmes and to expand the interface and collaboration between the musical professions and the Academy's students and teaching staff. The Academy also wishes to monitor the employment situation of graduates with a view to scrutinising the interaction between its programmes and the labour market for which students are being trained. When it comes to continuing education, there will be a focus on graduates' continued need for training and skills development so as to be able to establish themselves in the musical professions and in music education. To ensure the appropriate and efficient use of resources, the Academy is to develop and coordinate the range of continuing education on offer together with the other music academies. At regional level the Academy can see clear benefits in expanding its collaboration with Jutland's other music academies. Especially when it comes to giving students better opportunities for ensemble playing, more institutionalised collaboration will be an advantage, not only in terms of improving the quality of study programmes but also in the form of a knock-on effect on regional musical circles in Jutland. More formalised cooperation agreements will therefore be entered into in selected areas. At international level there will be a focus on increasing the opportunities for exchanges of students and teaching staff. These already take place to some extent but networking is to be stepped up. When it comes to classical music, the Academy has seen the number of applicants to its programmes stagnate in recent years. This problem is closely related to the tangible food chain problems in the classical field. Against this background and as an extension of the Taskforce report, one goal for the coming years is to establish closer relationships with music schools, music colleges and the like – i.e. the institutions in contact with new talents. One important prerequisite for being able to continue to provide training in music and music teaching to the highest level and otherwise contribute to the advancement of music in Denmark is that there must be continuous improvement in the quality of the instrumental, theoretical/scientific and pedagogical elements. When it comes to music teaching in particular, there is a major need for development, including research in this field. The Academy therefore wishes to establish a joint centre of excellence for music teaching together with Jutland's other music academies. In connection with the Academy's takeover of the activities of the Danish Institute for Electronic Music (DIEM) with effect from January 1, 2003, a centre of excellence for electronic and electro-acoustic music with the same name was set up at the Academy with a view to developing this genre's position in the musical universe. The Academy's strategy during the period of agreement can be condensed into the following strategic focus areas: 2. Increasing the vocational orientation of the Academy's study programmes, including the development of continuing education in the light of the musical professions' needs 3. Strengthening the Academy's interaction with musical study programmes and musical circles in Denmark and abroad and with the musical food chain 4. Strengthening the Academy's research and development activities, including the establishment of a centre of excellence for electronic and electro-acoustic music 5.1. Improving the quality of the Academy's study programmes in connection with the introduction of a new study structure Increasing flexibility and students' responsibility for their own course of study The reorganisation of the Academy's study programmes will turn the spotlight onto students' studies rather than the Academy's application of resources, and this will result in changes to both the structure and the content of the programmes. The programmes will contain more options, giving individual students an opportunity to tailor their course of study more individually according to their particular interests, talents and future career expectations. Closer collaboration with other music academies and tertiary study programmes One important aim of the Bologna Declaration is to make study programmes more comparable and facilitate credit transfer between programmes to create greater flexibility and diversity in students' qualifications. Systematic quality management To strengthen the Academy's ongoing quality management activities, an action plan will be drawn up for quality management of all of the Academy's study programmes following the introduction of the new 3+2 structure. Among other things, the action plan will cover the formulation of quality targets for the programmes which can be used as a basis for subsequent quality evaluations.
The performance contract sets out, among other things, how the Academy is to help realise the political agreement "Multi-annual Accord on the Ministry of Culture's Study Programmes" (Appendix 1), which forms part of the Government's "Better Education" action plan. The contract also covers the Academy's work on a number of other relevant challenges.
3. Vision
4. Strategy in brief
1. Improving the quality of the Academy's study programmes in connection with the introduction of a new study structure in accordance with the Bologna Declaration
5. Strategic focus areas and performance targets
Improving the quality of the Academy's study programmes in connection with the introduction of a new study structure
Year Target 2004 The Academy is to establish a new study structure based on
Bachelor's and Master's degrees (3+2 structure),
implement the ECTS and revise its curricula accordingly. 2005 - Agreements on credit transfer are to be entered into with
all Danish music academies by the end of 2005.
The agreements are to result in a joint ECTS guide.
- An action plan for the introduction of systematic quality
management for the Academy's study programmes is to
be drawn up. 2006 The action plan for quality management is to have been
implemented for at least 50% of the programmes.
5.2. Increasing the vocational orientation of the Academy's study programmes, including the development of continuing education in the light of the musical professions' needs
Increasing the Academy's interaction with the musical professions
The Academy is increasingly to support the development of musical entrepreneurs. This is to be achieved through increased interaction between the musical professions and activities at the Academy through the introduction of vocationally oriented/preparatory elements in its programmes.
The Academy is to expand its regional commitment in this area by joining the circle of education institutions behind the Centre for Entrepreneurship (CFE). This partnership between higher/tertiary education institutions in Århus, Århus Municipality and Århus County Council aims to develop and support an innovative entrepreneurial culture embracing all of the individual study environments in collaboration with the business community.
In a similar way the Academy is to collaborate with Jutland's other music academies on the promotion of dialogue and mutual inspiration between artistic education institutions and Jutland's business community.
Credit-carrying vocational experience
The Academy is to enter into agreements on credit-carrying vocational experience with music schools etc. and relevant orchestras, ensembles etc. This vocational experience is intended both to improve students' teaching and performance skills and to develop their knowledge of the musical professions.
Ensuring that the range of study programmes on offer conforms to society's needs
The Academy is to ensure that its range of study programmes conforms to society's needs for education in the Academy's specialist fields, and in this context is to carry out an annual qualified evaluation of the number of graduates and their qualifications relative to the needs of the labour market.
Strengthening continuing education
Continuing education is crucial for continued skills development in the musical labour market. The Academy has already launched a series of programmes under the Continuing Education Act:
- Diploma in Music Management
- Diploma in Rhythmic Music and Movement
- Master's Degree in Children's Music
- Master's Degree in Military Music (professional musicians)
Future work in this area is to be developed and coordinated nationwide in conjunction with the other music academies.
Increasing the vocational orientation of the Academy's study programmes, including the development of continuing education in the light of the musical professions' needs
| Year | Performance targets |
| 2003 | - The Academy is to monitor the employment situation of its graduates. |
| 2004 | - Denmark's music academies are to submit a joint needs analysis |
| Annually from 2005 | - The first annual report on the relationship between the range of study programmes, the employment situation and the labour market's needs is to be submitted by January 1, 2005. - The report is to be prepared for the Ministry of Culture's study programmes as a whole on the basis of a joint template and submitted via the principals' organisation KUR. |
| 2005 | - Continuing education is to be offered in conjunction with the other music academies, with a joint range of programmes and prospectus. |
| 2006 | - Questionnaire among graduates and the musical professions on the vocational orientation of the study programmes. - The number of credit-carrying vocational experience places is to be at least eight orchestra or ensemble positions for performers and at least sixteen teaching positions for teaching students. |
5.3. Strengthening the Academy's interaction with musical study programmes and musical circles in Denmark and abroad and with the musical food chain
Strengthening interaction with musical circles and the education system through networking
The Academy wishes to expand and strengthen its network for pedagogical and artistic development in the music field. Partnerships need to be developed not only with music schools etc. in the Academy's local area in central Jutland but also between Jutland's music academies on artistic and pedagogical development projects, ensemble playing, etc.
With a view to increasing graduates' job opportunities in upper secondary education, the Academy will endeavour to enter into a cooperation agreement with the Department of Aesthetics and Culture at the University of Aarhus.
Strengthening international collaboration
At international level the Academy wishes to develop alliances of music academies, i.e. build up close and binding networks with other academies in Europe and elsewhere. This can be achieved through cooperation agreements with foreign academies on exchanges of teaching staff and students, credit transfer and collaboration on education and R&D projects.
At present the Academy has a number of interfaces with various international music academies etc. The following institutions already collaborate sufficiently closely with the Academy that it is among these that the Academy would expect to enter into actual cooperation agreements:
- School of Music and Music Education at Göteborg University
- Hamburg Academy of Music and Theatre
- Department of Music at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Department of Music at the University of Birmingham
- Berlin University of the Arts
- Havana Academy of Art
To increase the potential for international exchanges of both teaching staff and students, opportunities for providing tuition in English are to be improved.
Special initiative for the musical food chain
The Academy is to strengthen its relationship with relevant authorities and institutions when it comes to strengthening the musical food chain.
The Academy has good experience of building up close collaboration on vocational experience in the rhythmic music field. This experience of "guardian angel" schemes is to be extended to other areas. Relationships are therefore to be built up generally between Jutland's music academies and the music schools and other education institutions for children which are responsible for the early stages of the musical food chain and thereby nurture and develop musical and music teaching talent. As an extension of the Taskforce report, the Academy considers it important in the coming years to establish greater openness towards these institutions on the Academy's part.
Strengthening the Academy's interaction with musical study programmes and musical circles in Denmark and abroad and with the musical food chain
| Year | Performance targets |
| Annually from 2004 | - Pedagogical development project in collaboration with the music schools in Århus and Silkeborg. The project is to be carried out in the 2004/05-2006/07 academic years. - Jutland's music academies are to enter into cooperation agreements on, for example, opera/musical drama, orchestral music, big band, joint clinics and master classes. |
| 2004 | - Analysis of the Academy's role and collaboration with other education institutions in the musical food chain as the basis for the preparation of an action plan. - Cooperation agreement with at least one foreign music academy. - International activities (including exchanges, study trips, joint projects and master courses) are to extend to the equivalent of 20 students and two members of the teaching staff. |
| 2005 | - Cooperation agreements with two foreign music academies. - International activities are to extend to the equivalent of at least 25 students and 1.5 members of the teaching staff. - Agreement with the Department of Aesthetics and Culture at the University of Aarhus on upper secondary education. - Jutland's music academies are to be collaborating on at least three of the aforementioned areas (see 2004). |
| 2006 | - Midway evaluation of pedagogical development project with Århus and Silkeborg (final evaluation in 2007 or 2008). - Cooperation agreements with three foreign music academies. - International activities are to extend to the equivalent of at least 30 students and three members of the teaching staff. |
5.4. Strengthening the Academy's research and development activities, including the establishment of a centre of excellence for electronic and electro-acoustic music
Centre of excellence for music teaching
The Academy is setting up a centre of excellence for music teaching together with the music academies in Esbjerg and Ålborg. The alliance will be defined in greater detail in a cooperation agreement which will include a description of the centre's aims and activities and of how its work will be quality-assured. The three academies – together with Denmark's other music academies and, in a broader partnership within the framework of the Danish Network for Music Teaching Research – are also to explore the need for PhD studies in the field.
Centre of excellence for electronic and electro-acoustic music
The Academy has assumed responsibility for the continued development of the activities of the Danish Institute for Electronic Music (DIEM) through the establishment of a centre of excellence for electronic and electro-acoustic music with the same name. In this connection it is crucial that DIEM's international reputation and contact network are maintained. The Academy is to continue substantial parts of DIEM's existing activities but will also endeavour to develop new ideas and integrate electronic and electro-acoustic elements – both rhythmic and classical – into new undergraduate and continuing education courses.
Strengthening the Academy's research and development activities, including the establishment of a centre of excellence for electronic and electro-acoustic music
| Year | Performance targets |
| 2003 | - An action plan with strategic targets for a centre of excellence for music teaching, setting out the alliance's aims and activities during the period of agreement, is to be formulated in conjunction with Jutland's other music academies. - An action plan with strategic performance targets for the centre of excellence for electronic and electro-acoustic music, setting out its aims and activities during the period of agreement, is to be formulated. |
| Annually from 2004 | - Realise and implement the aims and activities in the action plan for the centre of excellence for music teaching. - Realise and implement the aims and activities in the action plan for the centre of excellence for electronic and electro-acoustic music. |
| 2004 | - Explore the need for PhD studies in the music teaching field in conjunction with the other Danish music academies and within the framework of the Danish Network for Music Teaching Research. - Include elements of electronic and electro-acoustic music in the Academy's study programmes. |
6. Funding
As part of the realisation of the Multi-annual Accord on the Ministry of Culture's Study Programmes, the Academy's intake has been reduced from 80 to 71 and its Government funding has been reduced accordingly. The Academy also receives funding under sections 21.41.79 "Budget regulation" and 21.42.55 "Education pool". Apart from the contract funding, which will cease on the expiry of the contract, this funding has been included in the Academy's basic funding on the condition that the Academy not only implements the general reorganisation and meets the concrete targets set out in this performance contract but also fulfils the activity conditions set out in the Ministry of Culture's budget model.
The funding on which the contract is based is presented in the following tables:
| Operating Budget | Table 1 | |||||
| Account 21.41.22 | Accounts | Budget | Budget | Budget | Budget | Budget |
| DDK million, 2003 prices* | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
| Income: | ||||||
| Government funding | 52.7 | 52.8 | 52.0 | 51.0 | 51.0 | 0.0 |
| Operating income | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| Other incomes (grants, etc.) | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | 0.0 |
| Total funding and income | 54.3 | 54.2 | 53.4 | 52.4 | 52.4 | 0.0 |
| Balance broght forward | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Total resources | 54.4 | 54.4 | 53.4 | 52.4 | 52.4 | 0.0 |
| Total expenditure | 54.2 | 54.4 | 53.4 | 52.4 | 52.4 | 0.0 |
| Balance carried forward | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| *2002 figures in 2002 prices |
| Budget - expenditure by purpose | Table 2 | ||||
| Accounts | Budget | Budget | Budget | Budget | |
| DDK million, 2003* | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Education and training | 25.7 | 25.9 | 25.4 | 24.9 | 24.9 |
| Research and development | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| General management and administration | 7.1 | 7.1 | 6.9 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
| Support functions | 16.1 | 16.1 | 15.9 | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Total expenditure | 54.2 | 54.2 | 53.4 | 52.4 | 52.4 |
* 2002 figures in 2002 prices
| Budget for the application of contract funding to operations | Table 3 | |||
| Expenditure (gross) | Budget | Budget | Budget | Budget |
| DKK million, 2003 prices* | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
| Integration of DIEM's activities | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Development of study programmes | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 |
| New R&D projects | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Pedagogical projects for children aged 0-9 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Additional PhD grant | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| Total | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.4 |
* 2002 figures in 2002 prices
7. Performance reporting
The Academy is to report annually on the fulfilment of its performance targets in line with the applicable rules and guidelines at the time. At the end of the period of agreement the Academy is to submit an overall report on target fulfilment covering the entire period of agreement.
8. Contract status
This performance contract is not a contract in the normal legal sense. No changes are being made to ministerial responsibility and general ministerial powers in the relationship between the ministry and the institution. Applicable legislation, authorities, budget and funding rules, agreements and so on are to be observed unless exemption has been duly authorised. The ministry may withdraw or amend the contract or parts thereof under its general ministerial powers.
Minor changes to responsibilities or agreed targets may normally be handled within the agreed funding framework. The same applies to minor changes in funding which do not lead to material changes in duties or the requirements made in this regard.
Major changes to the institution's duties and activities or to the agreed targets will always lead to the renegotiation of the institution's funding framework. Extensive changes in the institution's funding framework may lead to the renegotiation of the performance contract.
The performance contract does not preclude the supplementation or withdrawal of funding in connection with jurisdictional changes.
Ministry of Culture
Brian Mikkelsen, Minster for Culture
Royal Academy of Music
Aarhus Ulrik Spang-Hanssen, Acting Principal
Appendices:
Multi-annual Accord on the Ministry of Culture's Study Programmes