The purpose of this highly discussion driven/group activity session is:

1.    To investigate and analyze existing frameworks utilizing Competency Based Education (CBE) within higher education settings.
2.     To construct an acceptable definition and measurement for determining the effectiveness of CBE within Music Education programs.
3.    To identify critical areas for assessing institutional readiness to begin CBE initiatives.
4.    To outline common challenges in designing and delivering a competency based common body of knowledge, including competency based degree options and related business models.
5.    To present a prototype that can be adapted by institutions as a framework for CBE, looking at three interdependencies: Preparation, Construction, and Sustainability.
6.    To propose the formation of a MEIEA ‘working group/committee’ on CBE, for follow-up collaborative research and presentations. The committee’s purpose would be to create common understanding about CBE practices in better meeting the learning needs of greater numbers of students from all backgrounds, while ensuring quality, program rigor, and enhancing real-world demonstrable outcomes.

Celebrating its 10 year anniversary the Mu:Zone International Band & Business Camp is an unique learning experience for participating students and even staff. It’s hosted by PopAkademie Baden-Württemberg in collaboration with music & music business educators primarily from the United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, U.S.A., Belgium, Ireland and Sweden. Starting out as a European Union funded project and part of the Mu:Zone network in 2005 the idea was to bring students studying music and music business from different parts of Europe together for a week and by that creating a platform for learning, creativity, entrepreneurship and networking. While there are in total approximately 120 students and staff working together in a former monastery in Hammelburg, Bavaria Germany (today the Bayerische Musikakademie) for a week it can be divided into two major parts, however naturally connected. On the one hand there is a band camp with musicians working together creating and performing music and on the other hand a business game consisting of 25 students working around the clock in a simulation for several days. This paper sets out to give insights in the business game part of the sometimes referred as “The Hammelburg Experience” with a certain focus on the practice of creating and running a major simulation for educational purposes, the basic setup and the learning objectives and outcomes. Furthermore, I intend to give my experiences and impressions as a business game coach for the past five years and the impact of having a practicum curriculum as a complement to otherwise theory focused academia.