This reader of the online conference "Challenges of the Mind. New Dimensions in Theatre Training" held in June 2020 on the occasion of the 6th International Theatre and Education Festival-Forum “Nauruz” of the Galiaskar Kamal Tatar Academic Theatre (Russia) invites all interested artists – actors, directors and teachers – to think about the new possibilties of online-training for theatre.

The conference was initiatived by the World Theatre Training Institute AKT-ZENT/ITI and the ITI/UNESCO Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts. Born out of necessity facing the teaching situation in Spring 2020, this encounter opened many perspectives, questions and new fields of research. Agreeing that theatre is a live-art, which needs the live-performance with the live-contact between actors and audience, speakers and participants found a number of interesting new paths using new media and online possibilities to wake up artistic self-responsibiltity and creativity.

The reader consists of the revised presentations and further information on the topic. Links and contact details make it a valuable workbook.

This conference and its documentation may be considered as a prelude to what will be re-thought and invented on many levels in the next years. The crucial point is: teaching drama is a pedagogical, creative and scientific profession! The future of education lies in the hands of teachers and nowhere else. The experiences of Spring 2020 have kicked off a process of self-empowerment which is irreversible. We are only at the beginning of big changes. With this reader we share our findings.