LLP/ERASMUS TEACHING STAFF AND STUDENT EXCHANGE ACTIVITIES AT THE MUSIC TEACHER TRAINING INSTITUTIONS OF TURKEY AND EXPERIENCE AND OPINIONS OF THE EXCHANGE STUDENTS REGARDING THE PROCESS

In Turkey, music teachers are trained at Music Training Divisions, a sub-branch of Fine Arts Education Departments of Education Faculties of universities. The 23 divisions present at various universities situated in different parts of the country graduate music teachers with a 4-year undergraduate study teaching program of a total of 165 credits course load including both theoretical and applied courses concerning both European and Turkish Music and the profession of teaching-related. Some of these 23 divisions, together with the Turkey’s full participation in the Erasmus Program in 2004, have signed bilateral agreements with European music institutions. In this way, through music, the universal language, intercultural communication and interaction, one of the main objectives of the Erasmus project, has been started to be achieved. In the study, believing in the importance of international relations in music training, the names of the European music institutions with which the music teacher training institutions of Turkey are in relation within the framework of the Erasmus project and the number of the teaching staff members and students attending and/or having attended the project are under investigation. The experience and opinions of the accessible Turkish exchange students lived at European Music institutions are under evaluation. In the study, it is aimed to try to determine in general terms the activities of the music teacher training institutions of Turkey within the scope of the LLP/Erasmus teaching staff and student exchange project by taking into consideration the experience and opinions of the Turkish students regarding the project. It is believed that the results obtained will have effects on the strengthening of future relations between the Turkish and European music institutions and the formation of new partners. In this way, more number of students and teaching staff members will be disposed to benefit from this opportunity.