Parliament on October 18 voted the bill with amendments to the Education Law in the final reading. Under the bill, the doctoral education will be incorporated into university education and there will be set up a quality assurance agency for higher and vocational education, IPN reports.
According to Corina Fusu, Liberal MP and a member of the Parliament’s commission on education, culture and mass media, the bill was formulated in a professional way, taking into account all the proposals and suggestions.
The agency will accredit education institutions and will assess education programs. “During the first three months, we will have an agency with a temporary board. Afterward the board will consist of 15 persons chosen for four years at a contest, with the participation of foreign experts,” said Minister of Education Maia Sandu. She added that in about two years the agency may be included in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education so that the Moldovan diplomas will be recognized at European level.
During the first two years, the agency will be financed from the state budget, while later with payments made by education institutions that will want to be accredited.
The exclusion of the doctoral studies from the research education caused dissatisfaction, especially among representatives of the academic community, who consider that this will lead to scientific degradation. Maia Sandu said the Ministry of Education reached a consensus with the opponents so that the reform will have only positive effects.
The bill was passed by 86 votes. The Communist MPs abstained.
