The number of stat-run universities should be decreased from 19 to 7, while the 15 research institutes should be integrated into the merged higher education establishments, consider experts of the project “Enhancing University Autonomy in Moldova (EUniAM)”, which is part of the EU’s TEMPUS program.
In a news conference at IPN, project coordinator Romeo Turcan said the following universities should remain after the restructuring: the State University of Moldova, the Technical University of Moldova, the University of Medicine and Pharmaceutics, the Academy of Economic Studies and three regional universities in Balti, Cahul, and Tiraspol. The analysis does not refer to private institutions. The faculties and staff of the institutions that will disappear are to be incorporated into the remaining universities.
According to the experts, the financing of public universities should be kept, but the money must be used more efficiently so as to improve the processes of teaching and learning, research and knowledge transfer.
The experts consider the merger will allow liquidating the improper doubling of disciplines, while the integration of the research institutions into universities will contribute to creating a research culture.
EUniAM is a project of structural measures that aims to contribute to developing and strengthening the education institutions and systems in Moldova and is financially supported by the European Commission.
