The higher education establishments in Moldova will be reorganized. The number of universities will be decreased from 16 to 11 in a move to modernize the higher education system and to ensure studies of a higher quality, Minister of Education and Research Anatolie Topală stated in a news conference.

According to the minister, the reform is necessary in the wake of the decrease in the number of students. About 92,000 students studied at universities seven years ago. Currently, the figure stands at 59,000.

Some of the research institutes will be integrated into universities. The teaching personnel of the absorbed universities will be fully transferred to the universities that absorbed these. Continuous training and research institutions will be incorporated into four universities.

The minister noted that the reorganization will enable the teachers to get higher pays as the funds that went on the maintenance of buildings could be used for the purpose

According to Anatolie Topală, about 700 million lei will be invested in Moldova’s universities following the reorganization so as to develop their infrastructure. Of this sum, 500 million lei will be in grunt funding.

The Government decision on the reorganization of universities was drafted by the Ministry of Education and Research and is now discussed at public consultations.