Transcultural academic training networks in cultural policy and management: Institutional cooperation structures, learning experiences and challenges

Training in cultural management and policy in transcultural contexts at universities is gaining sustained focus within contemporary scholarly inquiry. The article analyses one specific training initiative and showcases it as an example of academic training practice between a German university and two partner institutions in the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region, focusing on international cultural management and policy training. The case study of the ‘Tawasol – Cultural Production and Policy Network’ (2023–2025) concerns a project funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of the Ta’ziz Partnership s, a German government-funded cooperation program that promotes collaboration between institutions in Germany and countries in the WANA region. The article delineates the formats and approaches of the academic training network and undertakes an analysis of (1) the transcultural learning experiences of participating students and (2) the internal structure and governance of the network on an institutional level. With this analysis, the article contributes to an emerging field of cultural policy research and debates in transcultural academic training. Methodologically, the article is based on external evaluation comprising ten semi-structured interviews with participants. Results show that transcultural learning formats – particularly residencies, workshops, and collaborative cultural projects – proved highly impactful, fostering substantial professional growth for students while also revealing persistent challenges such as unequal institutional power structures, uneven participation, and the limitations of short-term project funding. Despite these constraints, the enduring personal connections and continued professional aspirations of participants highlight the long-term value of such transnational academic networks.