Moldova

Original Re.ViCa entry by Paul Bacsich

For entities in Moldova see Category:Moldova

Partners situated in Moldova

None.

Moldova in a nutshell

(sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldova)

Moldova, officially the Republic of Moldova (Republica Moldova) is a country in Eastern Europe, located between Romania to the west and Ukraine to the north, east and south. The country is landlocked, even though it is very close to the Black Sea.

Its population is just over 4 million.

Its capital is (and largest city) is Chişinău.

Moldova is a parliamentary democracy with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. It is a member state of the United Nations, Council of Europe, WTO, OSCE, GUAM, CIS, BSEC and other international organizations.

Moldova currently aspires to join the European Union, and has implemented the first three-year Action Plan within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP).

Moldova enjoys a favorable climate and good farmland but has no major mineral deposits. As a result, the economy depends heavily on agriculture, featuring fruits, vegetables, wine, and tobacco. The economy contracted dramatically following the fall of the Soviet Union. Currently, Moldova is the poorest country in Europe. About a quarter of the population lives on less than US$2 a day.

Moldova is known for its wines. For many years viticulture and winemaking in Moldova were the general occupation of the population. Most of the country's wine production is made for export.

The Constitution of Moldova states that the Moldovan language is the official language, while the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Moldova names the official language Romanian. The 1989 State Language Law speaks of a "Moldo-Romanian linguistic identity". In 2003, the government of Moldova adopted a national political conception which states that one of the priorities of the national politics of the Republic of Moldova is the insurance of the existence of a Moldovan language. This situation is not unknown in other parts of Europe.

Russian is provided with the status of a "language of interethnic communication" (alongside the official language), and in practice remains widely used on all levels of the society and the state. The above-mentioned national political conception also states that Russian-Moldovan bilingualism is characteristic for Moldova. Gagauz and Ukrainian have significant regional speaker populations and are granted official status together with Russian in Gagauzia and Transnistria respectively.

History

In view of the situation with respect to Transnistria, we unusually add an element of history to the description.

In the Middle Ages, most of the present territory of Moldova was part of the Principality of Moldavia. In 1812, it was annexed by the Russian Empire, and became known as Bessarabia. Between 1856 and 1878, the southern part was returned to Moldavia. In 1859 it united with Wallachia to form modern Romania.

Upon the dissolution of the Russian Empire in 1917, an autonomous, then-independent Moldavian Democratic Republic was formed, which joined Romania in 1918. In 1940, Bessarabia was occupied by the Soviet Union and was split between the Ukrainian SSR and the newly created Moldavian SSR.

After changing hands in 1941 and 1944 during World War II, the territory of the modern country was subsumed by the Soviet Union until its independence on December 25, 1991. Moldova was admitted to the UN in March 1992.

In September 1990, a breakaway government was formed in Transnistria, a strip of Moldavian SSR on the east bank of the river Dniester. After a brief war in 1992, it became de facto independent, although no UN member has recognized its independence.

Recent politics in Moldova has been turbulent.

The rest of this article will focus on the part of Moldova not in the breakaway region.

Administrative divisions

Moldova is divided into 32 districts (raioane, singular raion); three municipalities (Bălţi, Chişinău, Bender); and two autonomous regions (Găgăuzia and Transnistria - the latter de facto independent). The cities of Comrat and Tiraspol, and the administrative seats of the two autonomous territories also have municipality status.

Moldova education system

(sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Moldova)

As of 2007-2008 academic year, Moldova had ten types of primary and secondary schools:

1. Primary schools, grades 1-4
2. Gymnasiums, grades 1-9
3. Lyceums, grades 1-12, Bacalaureat exam
4. General schools, grades 1-11, no Bacalaureat exam, cannot continue with higher education
5. Evening schools
6. Schools of trades, 1 year (grade 12), no Bacalaureat exam, cannot continue with higher education
7. Vocational schools, 3 years (grades 10-12), no Bacalaureat exam, but can continue with higher education
8. Vocational lyceums, 3 years (grades 10-12), Bacalaureat exam
9. Colegii, 2 to 3 years, no Bacalaureat exam, but can continue with higher education
10. Special schools, grades 1-11, no Bacalaureat exam, cannot continue with higher education

Useful statistics are then given.

Higher education

(sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Moldova)

In Moldova, there are both public and private universities. There are 16 state and 15 private institutions of higher education, with a total of 126,100 students, including 104,300 in the state institutions, and 21,700 in the private ones.

The number of students per 10,000 inhabitants in Moldova has been constantly growing since the collapse of the Soviet Union, reaching 217 in 2000-2001, and 351 in 2005-2006.

There are 6,200 faculty members in Moldova's universities and colleges (on average 1 faculty member per 20.3 students). Out of these, only 2,700 (43%) hold PhD degrees, including 358 (5.8%) that also hold the highest academic degree: Habilitation. Moldovan faculty members usually teach around 20 hours per week (one of the highest workloads in the world).

52.5% of students major in economics, law, social sciences, or in some fields that the Moldovan Ministry of Education calls on its website "professional formation fields", 18.4% study engineering and architecture, 16.0% - education. There are a total of 90 specialities (majors) offered.

101,100 students, or 80.2%, pay for their studies (from 2,000 to 7,300 Moldovan lei per year, i.e. from 120 to 430 euros per year). The state is trying to increase the number of places offered free of charge when students are admitted to public universities: there were 5,085 in 2001, 5,290 in 2002, 5,628 in 2003, 6,354 in 2004, 7,048 in 2005, 7,835 in 2006, but this rate (54% over 5 years) is lower than the rate of increase (65% over the same period) in the total number of places. 15% of the free of charge places are reserved, and distributed to candidates from low-income families. In an effort to support them, the state gives scholarships to 70% of students who occupy the free of charge places, i.e. to 14.4% of the total number of students. As of January 1, 2006, these scholarships are in three categories: 210, 230, or 270 Moldovan lei per month, i.e. 12, 14, or 16 euros per month respectively.

Despite the fact that 75.8% of the population of Moldova is Moldovan and 2.1% is Romanian, only 65% of students study in Romanian. Russians represent 5.9% of population, but 29.8% of students study in Russian. There is little to no education in Ukrainian, Gagauz and Bulgarian, and these minority groups are forced to study in Russian, which is neither their native language, not the official language of the country. Also, 3.9% of students follow their courses in English, French, German, and other languages of international communication.

The National Council on Accreditation and Attestation is an organization that approves the examination programs for doctoral students, confers scientific degrees, and scientific and pedagogical ranks. The Council publishes online all PhD theses that are elaborated and defended in Moldova.

Universities in Moldova

The page http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_Moldova lists the universities. Only three have Wikipedia pages (which we take as a crude signifier of relevance):

• State University of Moldova, Chişinău - http://www.usm.md/start.aspx (in English)
• Ion Creangă Pedagogical State University, Chişinău - with a useful Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_Creang%C4%83_Pedagogical_State_University and a web site (not in English) at http://www.upsc.md/
• Imi-Nova International Management Institute, Chişinău - a private institution with a PR-oriented Wikipedia page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imi-Nova_International_Management_Institute and a web site (not in English - surprisingly) at http://www.imi-nova.md/

The system also includes two institutions, which offer post graduate continuous training:

• The Academy of Public Administration by President’s Office of Republic of Moldova
• State Institute for Continuous Training.

Polytechnics in Moldova

There are a number of colleges and specialised institutes in the list at http://www.university-directory.eu/Moldova/Moldova.html

Higher education reform

The Bologna Process

Progress is summarised at http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/links/Moldova.htm

Moldova has been a full member of the Bologna Process since 2005 and has produced two reports on Bologna reforms (2007, 2005). The 2007 report (http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/links/National-reports-2007/National_Report_Moldova2007.pdf) summarises progress, as below.

Complying with the legislative amendments of 2005, all higher education institutions have implemented 2 cycle system – ((Licentiate equivalent with Bachelor) and Master) – starting with the 2005-2006 academic year new rules are applied to all the students enrolled in this year.

The enrolment in higher education institutions is performed on the basis of The Classification of Fields and Specializations in HE for the first cycle, according to ISCED / EUROSTAT the requirements of the national and European labour markets.

ECTS is introduced on the basis of legislative amendments in all the higher education institutions.

The following documents were drawn up to adjust the national legislation to the international requirements, including those recommended by the Bologna Process:

• The Concept of Modernization of the Education System in the Republic of Moldova, which was approved by the Government and now is being examined by the Parliament;.
• Draft paper of Higher Education Law - a component part of a set of laws on education, elaborated based on Concept of Modernization, which at present is being examined by the Government;

Other documents drawn up are:

• The Program of Modernization of the educational system in the Republic of Moldova for 2005-2008, approved by a Government decision;
• A working plan for 2005-2010 approved by the Ministry of Education and Youth to adjust the higher education system to the European one in compliance with the goals and principles of the Bologna Process;
• Framework for cycle 1 Curricula elaboration (Bachelor’s studies) approved by the Ministry of Education and Youth;
• Guide to implement the National Credit System, approved by the Ministry Board.

Administration and finance

The Bologna progrees report notes:

The Ministry of Education and Youth (Moldova) is the central body of public administration of the education system, which develops strategies and promotes the state policy in higher education through Higher Education Departments.

The other five ministries manage the activity of several specialized higher education institutions: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Defence.

The ministries that supervise higher education institutions determine the main strategy of specialized higher education development. They also finance and monitor the activity of these institutions. The common principles of organization and development of the educational process in the institutions supervised by other ministries are directed by the Ministry of Education and Youth.

Higher education institutions participate directly or through their representatives (Rectors’ Conference) in the implementation of reforms, promoted by the Ministry of Education and Youth, in the elaboration of legislative acts, which regulate the organization and functioning of higher education system.

The legislation in force stipulates university autonomy in terms of administration, teaching and research activity, management and financing.

Quality assurance

Accreditation is part of the function of the Ministry of Education and Youth (Moldova)

However, Moldova is not a (full or candidate) member of ENQA (there is a full list at http://www.enqa.eu/allagencies.lasso) - in fact there are no hits for "Moldova" on the ENQA web site.

Private higher education institutions are authorised by the Licensing Chamber – a central public authority that issues licences and coordinated with the Ministry of Education and Youth. See for example that Gagauzian University was closed - see http://lists.microlink.lv/pipermail/minelres/2002-August/002259.html

Moldova's HEIs in the information society

The 2003 UNESCO report noted:

Currently, a project is being developed, that of a National Programme for the Implementation of ICT in Education, which includes all the required elements: provision of equipment, the initial and in-service preparation of the teaching and administrative staff, the elaboration of the needed programming software, net building, and the provision of access to the global information networks and services.

and also

Higher education in Moldova should radically modify its curriculum and at the same time stress the development of lifelong learning skills and creativity as well as the use of the ICTs in the process of instructing highly qualified specialists for the national economy including research and development.

But this is all non-specific.

A programme SALT was set up to run 2004-2006 (see http://www.edu.md/?lng=en&MenuItem=4&SubMenu0=2&SubMenu1=1) but we have not yet found any outcomes.

The Ministry web site in English is incomplete and looks tentative - and there are no entries for "Modernisation of education".

Virtual Campuses in HE

Interesting Virtual Campus Initiatives

None.

Interesting Programmes

There seem to be none that yet peer above the threshold we have set. In this context note that the UNESCO report on HE, written in 2003, makes no reference to "e-learning" and almost none to ICT. (It is known that e-learning in a country mostly has a long lead time.) It did note that:

The elaboration and implementation of educational standards in higher education, the modernization of the teaching process through the introduction of the information and communications technologies (ICTs), as well as the elaboration of a modern system of evaluation and assessment for higher education are all parts of the strategic orientation of Moldavian higher education.

However, note that Newport International University (of the US) delivers e-learning in Moldova - see http://www.newportinternational-edu.com/moldova.htm

Also note that several EU universities actively market in Moldova to recruit students to come to their universities (see e.g. http://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/international/countries/moldova)

Re.ViCa Case-study

None.

Lessons learnt

Moldova is currently too poor to have e-learning on a scale from which advanced countries can learn.

References

Wikipedia

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moldova
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Moldova
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_Moldova

Others

1. HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA, UNESCO-CEPES, 2003, http://www.cepes.ro/publications/pdf/moldova.pdf
2. Moldova National Report on Bologna, 2007, http://www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/bologna/links/National-reports-2007/National_Report_Moldova2007.pdf
3. http://www.university-directory.eu/Moldova/Moldova.html

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