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There are twelve Federal Asylum Centres (BAZ) in Switzerland and the BAZ in Zurich is located right next to the ZHdK campus. Since its establishment in autumn 2019, ZHdK has built strong ties to the centre through the programme ‘Access for Refugees’, as well as various projects initiated within the frame of the International Affairs Office’ s project funding for international and intercultural student and faculty projects.

One of these projects was initiated by the Department of Music (Music Pedagogy) in 2024. After an extensive preparation phase, the project commenced in the Spring of 2025. Over the course of a year, ZHdK Music Pedagogy students and children from the Federal Asylum Centre Zurich came together to make music. These music sessions took place on a weekly basis and were integrated into the children's school routine.

As children are particularly vulnerable and adversely affected by the circumstances that brought them and their families to Zurich, the project specifically aims to create enjoyable moments for these children. As music is a means of non-verbal expression, children get the opportunity to tell their stories and experience moments of encounter even without language. Besides the benefits for the children, the participating students gained practical experience in guiding musical processes within a specific socio- and intercultural context through the collaboration. 

The Department of Music fosters a vibrant international culture in teaching, research and continuing education. Through an expansive network of worldwide institutional partnerships, they maintain and further international cooperations and initiatives, projects and programmes.

In 2024, the Department of Music successfully intensified their ties with the United States and signed a new agreement with the Musicians Institute in Hollywood, Los Angeles, thereby adding another school in the States to their exchange portfolio for Jazz and Pop students. That same year, US Jazz singer and composer Theo Bleckmann took up his new position as lecturer Jazz Vocal at ZHdK. The award-winning artist, whose innovative understanding of jazz transcends traditional genre boundaries, has worked with renowned musicians, artists, actors and composers and has gained extensive experience as a lecturer at several US universities.

For several years, the Church Music / Choral Conducting profile of the Department of Music has been cooperating with Yale School of Music. The strong connection between the two institutions survived the Covid-19 pandemic and intensified again in recent years. In Autumn 2025, ZHdK staff and students visited Yale for an exchange. Both parties have confirmed their intention to continue staff and student exchanges in the future.