The Government has approved a bill reorganizing a number of higher education institutions by merger and absorption. According to Minister of Education Anatolie Topala, the initial text has been improved following consultations. However, this has not stopped the union of the Agrarian University from protesting outside the Government building as the bill was being approved.
Minister Topala said the reform is supported with 700 million lei that will go towards the modernization of higher education. “By increasing academic competence through the merger of universities, bringing students closer to research, by integrating research institutes that will maintain their structure in universities and ensuring significant funding for these fields, we will have strong institutions that are in control of material and intellectual heritage”, said Anatolie Topala.
Under the proposal, the Moldova State University is reorganized by merging with the Academy of Public Administration and with 13 research institutions connected to the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs of the USM. The Technical University of Moldova is reorganized by absorbing the State Agrarian University of Moldova and three research institutes.
The State Pedagogical University is reorganized by merging with the State University of Tiraspol, the Institute of Education Sciences and the Institute of Continued Education. The Academy of Economic Studies is reorganized by merging with the National Institute of Economic Research.
At the same time, the status of founder of the Academy of Music, Theater and Fine Arts and of the Institute of Cultural Heritage is transferred from the Ministry of Education to the Ministry of Culture. Also, MEC and the Ministry of Internal Affairs will submit within six months the regulatory framework for the merger of the “Ștefan cel Mare” Academy of the Ministry of Interior and the State University of Physical Education and Sports.
“Each public research and innovation institution will keep until December 31, 2023 its organizational structure of autonomous research and the level of funding within the limits of the approved expenditures for each research project. Enrolled students, according to the undergraduate, master's or doctoral higher education programs from the absorbed higher education institutions will be transferred to the merging educational institutions to the same study programs and the same fees as previously established. Their transfer will be made until August 25, 2022”, the minister explained.
Gagauzia governor Irina Vlah, an ex officio member of the Government, criticized the bill and voted against.
