GLOBAL: As global demand for concerts, festivals, corporate events and immersive live experiences continues to surge, the live audio sector is evolving faster than most academic curricula can traditionally accommodate. Responding to this widening skills gap, L-Acoustics has launched the L-Acoustics Education Partner Program, a new global initiative that embeds professional live sound training and certification directly into university-level audio education, aligning academic learning more closely with real-world production demands.

Designed to complement the strong theoretical and studio foundations offered by universities, the program focuses on the realities of modern live sound—real-time decision-making, complex system workflows and the use of contemporary professional technologies in high-pressure environments. Through partnerships with leading universities worldwide, L-Acoustics integrates its professional training curriculum into academic programmes, enabling students to graduate with both academic credentials and industry-recognised certification.

“Universities excel at teaching the theory and science of audio, and when combined with hands-on experience using professional live sound systems, students gain the complete skill set the industry demands,” says Luca Iacomino, Director of Education Operations at L-Acoustics. “Through this program, we’re empowering academic institutions to deliver the same professional certification that working engineers receive, giving students hands-on experience with the technologies and workflows they’ll encounter throughout their careers. When these graduates enter the workforce, they arrive ready to contribute from day one.”

Participating institutions gain access to L-Acoustics’ full learning curriculum, shaped by decades of training nearly 20,000 audio professionals globally. Faculty members undergo accreditation to become L-Acoustics Certified Trainers, allowing them to deliver official courses and award recognised certifications in-house. Universities also receive access to L-Acoustics loudspeaker systems for educational use, ensuring students train on the same technologies deployed across some of the world’s most prestigious venues and live events.

The inaugural cohort comprises 17 University Partners drawn from a broad mix of geographic regions, educational models and programme structures, all selected for their excellence in audio education and commitment to preparing students for professional careers in live sound.

“This program represents a long-term investment in the future of our industry,” says Etienne Corteel, Global Director of Education at L-Acoustics. “Education has always been at the heart of the L-Acoustics mission. By partnering with the world’s leading academic institutions, we’re training the next generation of audio professionals, and we’re advancing the entire industry. These students will enter the market with a level of practical expertise that would have traditionally taken years to develop, and that benefits everyone: the graduates themselves, the venues and production companies who hire them, and ultimately the audiences who enjoy the best shared sound experiences.”

Beyond graduation, the Education Partner Program is designed to create a sustainable professional ecosystem. Students gain access to the global L-Acoustics learning community, while L-Acoustics Certified Provider partners benefit from a growing pipeline of qualified, certified professionals ready to meet escalating industry demand for skilled live sound engineers. The initiative builds on L-Acoustics’ expanded Education Division, which in 2025 alone delivered nearly 100,000 hours of training and issued 14,000 education certificates worldwide, extending this professional development infrastructure firmly into academia and reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to advancing both audio technology and the people behind it.