Berklee Launches Global Partners, a Collective of Organizations and Institutions Around the World

Berklee Global Partners, a collective of nearly 50 institutions and organizations around the world, develops educational programs, experiences, and events that explore career paths and nurture entrepreneurial opportunities.

October 24, 2017

Berklee Global Partners, a collective of nearly 50 institutions and organizations around the world, develops educational programs, experiences, and events that explore career paths and nurture entrepreneurial opportunities. The initiative is integral to Berklee’s vision of forging new connections among art forms, musical traditions, technologies, and institutions, creating a dynamic global network that fosters innovation, collaboration, and community.

Berklee Global Partners is composed of four types of partnerships: academic, network, affiliate, and special partnerships. Each category brings distinct benefits to the participating organizations and their students. For instance, for academic partners whose curriculum closely aligns with Berklee’s, a credit-transfer agreement allows students to attend an institution close to home and then transfer to Berklee.

“One of the main goals of Berklee Global Partners is to create accessible and more affordable pathways for students to experience Berklee,” said Matthew Nicholl, Berklee's associate vice president for Global Initiatives. “The credit-transfer agreement greatly reduces the cost of a Berklee education while maintaining our high academic and musical standards.”

The partnerships also create opportunities for Berklee faculty members, students, and alumni to grow as artists and individuals through collaborative programming offering artistic and cultural engagement, exchange with diverse audiences and master musicians, and the development of careers with global focus.

“I don’t know of any other institutions that have partnerships of the depth and quality of the ones Berklee maintains,” said Nicholl. “This initiative is a way to integrate and organize the wide variety of partnerships, reflecting the shift from an international focus to Berklee’s truly global role in the world.”

Berklee Global Partnerships

Academic is the most comprehensive partnership Berklee has with external educational institutions. A key component of this category is the credit-transfer agreement between the partner and Berklee. Partner institutions also collaborate with Berklee to host clinics and workshops, faculty exchanges, audition and interview events, and more. Academic partners include institutions in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Spain, the U.S., and Canada.

Network partners comprise academic institutions, agencies, and governmental and nongovernmental organizations that support Berklee’s vision and mission. Network partners help to develop and support educational programming, Berklee auditions and interviews, performing arts exchange for faculty and students, alumni engagement, career development initiatives, and more.

Affiliate partners include institutions and organizations collaborating with Berklee through a specific program, project, or opportunity. Affiliate partners include conservatories in China and India, and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which partners with Berklee to expand music education opportunities in Latin America.

Special partnerships encompass a variety of institutions under agreement with Berklee relating to special programing and academic or business-related engagements. It also includes institutions offering dual or joint degrees with Berklee, including Harvard University, Southern New Hampshire University, and Suffolk University; and dual enrollment, offered at high schools Boston Arts Academy and Walnut Hill Academy.