Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music has a very specific history. Recalling how this project came up is an important starting point to give the context of the symposium. From the starting point, research was defined as one of the important goals that should specify the new institution: educating to occidental classical music was to be seen from a south-Asian perspective, which means researching what can specify that perspective, what “new” can come out of that. 

A consequence of that position was that research had to be introduced into the curriculum: the balance between teaching and learning had to go towards the student-centred learning attitude, which means implementing methods of training by research, educating to autonomy. Of course, research is the highest goal of higher education, implemented in 3rd cycles for the Doctorate. But research as a process of discovering is also a fundamental lifelong learning attitude that should be implemented in any curriculum, whatever the discipline concerned. This can be done at least as soon as a 1st higher education. That is what PGVIM is aiming to do.