Memo of APB Directors’ Conference on APB’s Future Structure

Time: April 21, 2013

Place: Shanghai Theatre Academy

Participants: Beijing’s National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, Shanghai Theatre Academy, Ateneo de Manila University, Institute Seni Indonesia – Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Arts, Korea National University of the Arts, Taipei National University of the Arts, LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Our previous affiliation with Corneliu Dumitriu’s UNESCO Chair has ended. Now we are to make some choices. We are still using the name APB, we can keep it or change it.

We have three options, to disband, to stick together independantly, or be affiliated with a better international organisation like ITI. So far we have opted for the third choice.

The idea of a new ITI Network of Higher Education in Performing Arts has been endorsed by UNESCO, it may open in October. Once it’s officially established, the group of APB member schools ought be the first regional group of this network.

We have to look at criterias for APB memberships. We have a desire to have a member from every Asia Pacific country.

STA is willing to continue to provide service to APB member schools through the APB office. The APB administration could also move to another school that has the commitment and resources to do so. A future adminitration is mainly to manage the website and to facilitate information flow among member schools. Generally it lets the hosting school to organize its events as suggested at APB meetings. It will take the leadership role to help the local host when needed. Other administrative tasks should be distributed to member schools, this will make the members more active.

TNUA’s Prof. Chan believes that the current structure works and can remain so even when APB may change its name and affiliation.

Prof. Zhang Fan, Chairwoman of Beijing’s National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts, made an introduction of her university . Ms Zhang then expressed that she made this introduction because they are willing to take on more responsibility in the future, if APB member schools trust her school.

We do not need more bureaucracy. Simpler is often more efficient. We are and should continue to be a platform for students and faculty.

APAB could be transformed into or replaced by a committee.

A committee dealing with the festival might consist of the previous host, the present host and the next comming host.

These issues will be further discussed in the meeting in September, by that time the picture of the ITI Network will be clearer, so will APB’s relationship with it.