Alex loved music from a young age and was determined to pursue it as a career. She worked hard in high school and was accepted to a prestigious music academy, where she received a scholarship. The academy treated students like industry professionals and had up-to-date equipment and facilities. Students attended workshops, collaborated with artists, developed their network, and had opportunities to perform. They also gained real-world experience through internships. The flexible curriculum and hands-on learning approach helped students build careers in music. Alex graduated with several job offers, having gained valuable experience and skills for her future success.

1. The ideal higher education model for my country
Alex lovedsingingandplayingherguitar.She alsoadoredlisteningtomusicandattendinglivesshows.
She was sofascinatedwiththe magicof musicand the flow of tunes.Andshe was more determined
than everthatthisis whatshe woulddofor living,itmeantthe worldtoher.So she decidedthatwhen
she graduatedfromhighschool she wouldpursue adegree inmusic.She spenthourspracticingeach
and everyday,andshe enjoyedeverysecondof herrehearsalsandeverytune she sangandplayed. She
alsostudiedhard.Andwhenshe graduatedshe gotacceptedto one of the mostprestigiousmusic
academies.She wassoproudand happywithherachievement.
She wasn’tdistractedwithfinancial concerns,because the tuitionandboardingfeeswere affordable
and she wona scholarshipforherexceptional academicandartisticaccomplishments.
From the momentshe steppedoncampusshe wasnot treatedasa student,whose onlydutyistostudy
and complete homeworkassignments,butasa musicindustryprofessional,whoisalreadyinthe
business.She gotinstantsense of howitall worked andfelt.Anditfeltgreat.She knew thatshe had
alreadystartedbuildinghercareerandshe was gettingcloserandcloserto reachinghergoal.
The curriculuminher university wasupdated everysingle year,sothatitkeptpace withthe extremely
rapidlyevolvingindustry,andall the emergingtrends. The campuswasfacilitatedwithstate-of-the-art
professionalmusicequipment,allowingstudentstomake highqualityrecordings,competitive tothe
recordingstudiosof majorlabels. The peoplewhotaughtthe lectureswere currentlyactive
practitionersinthe field,runningrecordlabels,recordingstudios,publishingcompanies;some of them
were eventouringartists.Theirlessonswere notbasedonthe drystatisticswritteninthe textbooks,but
on real life experience,theywere teachinghow thingscurrentlyworkedinthe fieldanddidn’taskthe
studentstorememberoutdateduselessinformation.Insteadtheyencouragedthemtofocuson
practical informationandexperience,toactivelyparticipate inall typesof discussionsandworkshops
and to performeachand everyday,sothat theycouldbuildtheirmusicianshipandtraintheirears,so
theybecame betterandbetter. The classeswere notheldinthe typical way(aclass roomwithdesks,
the professorspeakingandstudentstakingnotes).The roomsinwhichthe lecturestookplace strongly
resembledthe authenticworkingenvironmentof aprofessional musician.Theywere designedwiththe
purpose of inspirationtobooststudents’creativityandartisticproductivity.The facultyrequiredthe
studentstoactivelyparticipate inthe lecturesthroughdiscussionsandaskedthemtogive their
thoughts,opinionsandideasoneverysubject. Itwasamazingwhatinnovative projectswere builtasa
resultof these seeminglysimpleevery-dayconversations.
The rehearsal roomswere alsoprovidedwithprofessionalequipmentandhadperfectsoundisolation
panels,sothe oneswhowere practicingthere hada peaceful environmenttofocusontheirmusic,build
theirskillsupandcreate theirownmasterpieces.
But the studentsdidn’tspendall of theirtime oncampus.Actuallytheyattendedthe workingareasof
differentcompanies,partneringwiththe university.There,theyhadthe opportunitytoassist
professionalsindifferentfieldsof the industryandeventocollaborate withsignedartists.They

2. developedcontactsandrelationshipseverysingle day,andwere buildingtheirnetworkconsistently.
Andwe all knowhow importantnetworkisinordertobuilda successful career.
Concertsand showcaseswere organizedoncampuseveryweekend,sothateveryone couldshow and
developtheirskillsin bothlive performance andeventorganizing. A lotof companieswouldsendtalent
recruitersandA&R scouts,so soonthe studentsreceivedinvitationstoperformonoff campusevents
and recordmusicfor differentcommercial projects.
Thanksto the collaborativerelationshipsof the university,all the studentswere activeparticipantsin
everyindustryconference,where theyacquiredmore contacts,knowledge,experience and
opportunitiestoexpose theirtalentsandworkwithaward-winningprofessionals.
The grades at the endof eachterm were basedmainlyonthe practical performance of the students.As
for the theorytheywere requiredtoknow onlythe mostcurrentinformationthattheyneeded.
But these fouryearsone spendsincollege are notjustfor professional development.Formanyit’sthe
firsttime you’re awayfromhome onyour own.So youneedlife skillsandyouare exploringyourself to
unlockabilitiesyouneverknewyoupossess.
So Alex receivedvaluablelifeexperience,aswell .Anexperience, whichgotherout of her comfortzone
and pushedher to the limits,makingherexplore whatshe could actuallydoanddevelop her full
potential;anexperience,which developedherstaminaandresilience,andwhich broadenedhermind
and made hermore tolerantand open-minded;anexperience,which made herenterthe college forthe
lasttime on hergraduationwithtearsin her eyes,because she wantedtorelive itoverandoveragain.
She builtlife-longfriendshipsandtofeltthe supportshe neededtobuildherself up notonlyasa
professionalbutalsoasa person.Andmostof all a muchbetterversionof hergraduated fromthis
college.
On the graduationceremony,Alex proudlyacceptedherregaliaandhonors,asshe graduatedwith
excellence.She wasfull of excitementandemotions.Butitwasnot onlybecause of herexceptional
academicachievement,butalsobecause she wasleavingcollege havingseveraljoboffersandrecording
projectsawaitingheronthe otherside.She feltthatall the effortsduringthese 4yearswere worth;
everysecondof hardwork wasnow rewardingher.Hertalentgotnoticedandshe had put solid
foundationsforhercareer,whichwere goingtotake heron top.
Didyou like Alex’ssuccessstory?She hadall of this,because she acquiredhertraininginahighly
collaborative highereducationsystem.Andthisisexactlythe systemIconsidertobe ideal formy
country.Because employersseekforexperiencedjobapplicants,notfordiplomas,basedonoutdated
theory;because upongraduationwe are becomingindependentpeople,whoneedlife skillsinorderto
handle all the situations –personal andprofessional –thatlife putsthemthrough;because inorderto
fullydevelopourpotential we needtobe pushedtoourlimits,completelyoutof ourcomfortzones,but
we alsoneedsupportandmentoringalongthistoughroad;because we needtodiscoverourlife
purpose andlearnto followitnomatterwhat.Andwe needtoreceive thiseducationandskillsform

3. people whospeakourlanguage.Inorderforus to thinkoutof the box,we neededucatorswhothink
out of the box,whowill provoke ustobe creative.
For some itmightsoundlike utopia.Butforme itis a completelyachievable andextremelywellworking
highereducationsystemthatshouldbe adoptedinmycountryinorderto booststudents’successand
produce well-trainedprofessionalsinall industries.