International Action

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels has always demonstrated a strong interest in international developments and has therefore established close ties with foreign art schools and universities.
Whenever possible, each program at ArBA-EsA integrates international partners into its projects to give them an international dimension and to highlight this aspect, while also fostering relationships with artistic and professional circles. The school aims to combine local and international dimensions with research and professional training.

The Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Brussels has been a member of the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA) since its founding in 1990. ELIA is an international network that represents and promotes arts education. This independent network currently includes over 350 higher arts education institutions across 47 countries. ArBA-EsA’s involvement in ELIA has enabled the school to propose and engage in artistic and practice-based research initiatives.

ArBA-EsA has participated in:

• ELIA Biennial Conference: Art, Science and Society, Vienna (2012)
• ELIA Biennial Conference: HEARTH – Art at the Heart of the Territory, Nantes (2010)
• ELIA Biennial Conference: Artistic Research, Gothenburg (2008)
  ArBA-EsA also hosted the ELIA study day: The Platform on the Potential of Cultural and Creative Industries (09/2011).
  Additionally, ArBA-EsA organized a study day for CSESA in collaboration with AEC (European Association of Conservatoires) and ELIA: European Challenges and New Approaches to Arts Education (2012).

The school seeks to create dynamic partnerships with institutions that pursue different objectives but can intersect on shared or complementary subjects, fostering flexible and open collaborations and areas of expertise. The Academy hosts the Research Chair in Creation and Creativity.

In 2011, ArBA-EsA signed a European partnership agreement with the University of Provence to co-organize a joint Master's program in Fine Arts (practice and theory of art) with an advanced specialization. The school also signed an agreement to establish a new Master's program in Product Scenography with a Paris-based higher education institution (EME). This partnership formalizes long-standing exchanges between faculty members of the two institutions and initiates genuine collaboration and rich exchanges in teaching, research projects, conferences, symposia, and exhibitions.