MY TRAINING MOBILITY IN LJUBLJANA: Ksenija Marković Božović

Ksenija Marković Božović
University of Arts in Belgrade, Faculty of Dramatic Arts

Erasmus+ Mobility for Training at:

Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT), University of Ljubljana

The mobility visit to the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television (AGRFT), University of Ljubljana, was carried out within the framework of the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Programme. The primary objectives of the mobility were to strengthen the existing cooperation between the two institutions, facilitate the exchange of experiences in the fields of arts education and research, and identify opportunities for the development of joint international projects, research initiatives, and educational activities. In addition to the activities conducted at AGRFT, the mobility programme included meetings with representatives of the Slovenian Theatre Institute (SLOGI), thereby further expanding the institutional framework for future collaboration.

The mobility represented an important step in further enhancing the long-standing relationship between the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade and AGRFT. The visit was hosted by Dr. Zala Dobovšek, Associate Professor at the Department of Dramaturgy and Screenwriting, who had previously visited the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade within the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Programme. During her stay at FDU, a number of shared academic and research interests were identified, particularly in the field of methodological training within doctoral artistic education. As both Dr. Dobovšek and I teach methodology-related courses at doctoral level, our discussions highlighted common challenges concerning artistic research education and the development of research competencies among doctoral candidates. The continuation of this dialogue during my visit to Ljubljana provided an important foundation for the joint project initiatives and collaborative activities discussed during the mobility.

During the visit, several meetings were held with AGRFT representatives. Discussions with Prof. Miha Jaramaz, Vice-Dean for Academic Affairs, and Prof. Jožica Šmid, Head of the Department of Film and Television, provided an opportunity to explore in greater detail the potential for cooperation between the film and television programmes of the two institutions. Particular emphasis was placed on the complementary strengths of the two schools: AGRFT possesses highly developed infrastructure and technical resources, while the Faculty of Dramatic Arts has considerable expertise, teaching capacities, and well-established study programmes in areas that are still developing at AGRFT, such as production and sound design. In this context, numerous opportunities were identified for knowledge exchange, joint teaching activities, and future student projects.

Particular significance was attached to the meeting with Prof. Alida Bevk, Vice-Dean for Research and Artistic Activity, during which an agreement was reached to jointly prepare an Erasmus+ KA220-HED project proposal aimed at strengthening methodological and pedagogical capacities for artistic research within doctoral programmes in performing and audiovisual arts. The project is based on the recognition that there is currently no shared understanding of artistic research, its epistemological foundations, methodological approaches, and the competencies expected of doctoral candidates across European arts universities. The proposed project would bring together partners from several European countries with the objective of mapping existing doctoral programmes, developing a common competence framework for artistic research, creating teaching modules and digital educational resources, as well as designing mentor training programmes and improving standards for the evaluation of artistic doctorates. Particular attention would be devoted to the fields of film, theatre, performance, and interdisciplinary artistic practices, which have so far been considerably underrepresented in European initiatives related to artistic research.

In addition to the activities conducted at AGRFT, the stay in Ljubljana also included a visit to the Slovenian Theatre Institute (SLOGI). During meetings with representatives of this institution, an agreement was reached to jointly prepare a project proposal for the Creative Europe programme under the working title „ECO/ART LAB: Residency-Based Artistic Research in Ecofeminist Futures“. The project is conceived as an international platform connecting higher education institutions, the independent arts sector, institutional theatres, and festival organisations through the development of an innovative residency-based model of artistic research. Its focus is on the development of interdisciplinary methodologies for artistic research in the performing arts, with particular emphasis on the relationship between text and space, ecofeminist approaches, sustainability, care and wellbeing in artistic work, as well as the active engagement of audiences and local communities. The project is expected to contribute to strengthening the capacities of artists and institutions, fostering new formats in the performing arts, and connecting research, educational, and production processes at the international level.

The meeting with Dr. Gašper Troha, Director of the Slovenian Theatre Institute, further confirmed the mutual interest in establishing more intensive cooperation between the Slovenian Theatre Institute and the Institute for Theatre, Film, Radio and Television of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts. Theatre studies, audience research, and comparative and contextual analyses of the social impact of contemporary theatre practices within the regional context were identified as particularly promising areas for future collaboration.