Introducing the Thrive Strategic Direction

Our most recent strategic direction, Pathways, set a direction for the institution’s future by positioning Berklee as a global leader in arts education. It led to many significant accomplishments over the past three years, including:

• the development of a first year abroad program; 
• the creation of online master’s degree programs through Berklee Online;
• the launch of the electronic digital instrument (EDI) as a principal instrument;
• the launch of the Music and Health Institute as well as the Institute of Jazz and Gender Justice;
• the launch of Berklee NYC;
• the reimagination of our Career Center;
• the creation of the Open Music Initiative;
• the launch of a unified enrollment strategy across all programs that integrates technology, marketing, and data systems;
• the completion of the Soundbreaking campaign, which raised over $160 million for Berklee, and much more. 

As it draws to a close, we are pleased to introduce the Thrive strategic direction (2020–2023).

As student debt rises across the country, we recognize that debt is a real issue that will impede our students’ creative potential and future success. While Berklee is positioned well, our industry is in flux, and the value of higher education is being questioned as never before.

In addition, the music, media, and arts industries are changing in fundamental ways. Thrive unites us all around creating the conditions and experiences that will enable our students to develop the skills necessary to have a sustainable career while building bridges to their chosen profession. It’s an explicit recognition of our vision to transform creative education and empower artists to better our world.

Our top priorities are as follows:

• Enable students to graduate at higher rates and with less debt.
• Support students to have a high-quality, engaging experience.
• Prepare students for purposeful, successful, sustainable careers.

The goals and objectives are intended to set a direction for the broader institution for the years 2020–2023. They were developed from the feedback received from our community on the three priorities outlined above.

Recognizing that the Thrive priorities will be approached differently across our institution, each area—the College, the Conservatory, Berklee Online, Berklee Valencia, BerkleeNYC, Berklee City Music®, and our summer programs—will develop its own plan in response to the Thrive goals, and in harmony with one other and the overarching infrastructure of the institution. 

Over the next several years, this framework will strengthen our focus and guide our decision-making. No matter what department you work in, enabling our students to thrive at Berklee and beyond is a goal we can all get behind.