Number of students declining

In September 2008, there were 114,900 students in Moldova's universities (without foreign citizens), falling 6.6% compared to the previous year. 64.6% of the students were studying by daily attendance and 35.4% by reduced attendance, Info-Prim Neo has learnt from the National Statistics Bureau. 93,100 students were attending state universities (81.0% of the total), that is with 8,700 less than in 2007-2008. The number of students attending private universities rose with 0,600, up to 21,800. The majority of students were Moldovans (76.2%), 10.7% were Russians, 6.9% –Ukrainians, 3.6% – Gagauz, 1.9% – Bulgarians and 0.7% – other nationalities. Most of the foreign students come from Israel, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia, Syria, Romania etc. The ratio of students entering universities with baccalaureate diplomas rose to 72.9%, compared to 65.8% last year. The number of students studying exact sciences rose 3.6 percentage points, services (0.7 percentage points), healthcare (0.4 percentage points.) The number of students studying economics and law dropped with 2.4 percentage points, education (1.3 percentage points), engineering, technologies, architecture and constructions (0.9 percentage points.) However most of the students were matriculated in social, economic and law sciences (68.7%.) The number of graduates from higher institutions in 2008 was 29,600 people.