Higher Education in Moldova

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Învățământ Superior în Moldova

Erasmus+ Programme offers to European universities the possibility to establish partnerships with HEIs outside EU and elaborate mobility programsprograms of international cooperation for capacity building and staff development in countries outside EU. More details on the impact and achievements of Erasmus+ in Moldova are available in this publication - Erasmus+ Programme in the Republic of Moldova

Moldova joined the Bologna Process in May, 2005. Once the process started, our country has assumed responsibilities and actively involved into the process of reforming and modernizing higher education and bringing it closer to European standards. A series of reforms that were implemented led to approaching Moldovan higher education system to the European one. The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) was one of the first changes introduced in all Moldovan Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

Higher education in the Republic of Moldova, except medical and pharmaceutical studies, is realised in three cycles

  • Cycle I - Bachelor studies, with a duration of 3 to 4 years, corresponding to 60 credits per year of study.
  • Cycle II -  Master studies, with a duration of 1 to 2 years, corresponding to a number of 90-120 credits.
  • Cycle III - Doctoral studies, with a duration of 3 years, corresponding to 180 credits. 

Starting from November, 2014, a new Code of Education was introduced in Moldova. Here are the priorities established by the document regarding higher education: 

  • universities' autonomy (financial, academic, organizational);
  • doctoral schools; 
  • quality assurance and institutional accreditation; 
  • joint degrees. 

Higher Education Institutions challenges are: 

  • implementation and development of doctoral studies in the new framework of Doctoral schools;
  • knowledge and technology transfer in higher education institutions (the triangle: education - research - innovation);
  • lobby and advocacy;
  • implementation of the new approaches for studies;
  • internationalisation and joint degrees.