As a result of the merger of universities, the students and teachers of the Republic of Moldova will benefit from better conditions of study as more money will be invested in the modernization of university infrastructure, Minister of Education and Research Anatolie Topală said following the Ministry’s announcement of the merger. He noted that as the number of students continues to decline, the resources should be concentrated not dispersed, IPN reports.
The Ministry of Education and Research decided that the State University of Moldova will absorb the Public Administration Academy, the State University of Physical Education and Sport and a number of institutions. The Agrarian University will be absorbed by the Technical University. The Academy of Economic Studies will absorb the National Institute of Economic Research, while the State Teacher Training University “Ion Creangă” will absorb the Tiraspol State University and the Taraclia State University “Grigorii Țamblac”. The minister said the reorganization is necessary for concentrating the resources and for improving the quality of higher education.
“We want to build large, strong universities that will offer the young people educational opportunities. We want our universities to be better placed in international rankings, to be attractive to young people. The modernization of universities will be an extensive process by which we want to bring research closer to teaching so that the students benefit from the proficiency and professionalism of our researchers. We have exceptional teachers and researchers and want to concentrate these resources in large universities so as to offer the young people the chance to study in their country. There will be created and modernized the lecture halls, dorms, gymnasiums and sports grounds. The students enrolled in a program of study will be able to continue the same program. If their studies are for money, tuition will be kept,” Anatolie Topală stated in the program “Emphasis on Today” on TVR Moldova channel.
The reorganization of educational institutions implies the transfer of students, academic and ancillary personnel and property. The reorganization process will take place between the study completion period and the start of the new academic year. The rector of the State University of Moldova Igor Sharov said the reform is necessary when the number of students declines.
“In 2007, we had 132,000 students in the Republic of Moldova, in 2015 – 92,000, in 2020 – 53,000. Studies of a high quality can be obtained at universities where there are infrastructure and human capital. As a result of the reform, we can concentrate more on investment in higher education establishments. We need to invest in people and in infrastructure. Only this way we will be able to ensure conditions and studies of a high quality,” stated Igor Sharov.
According to the Ministry of Education and Research, 700 million lei was allocated for modernizing universities this year.
