In the Republic of Moldova, guidance and counselling in higher education covers academic guidance, psychological support, and career guidance services aimed at supporting students’ academic success, well-being and transition to the labour market. These services are shaped by a combination of institutional practices established within universities and the broader legislative framework coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Academic guidance

Academic guidance in higher education is provided primarily at institutional level by academic services and units tasked with student support, study planning and academic progress monitoring. While the Education Code does not regulate academic guidance services as a standalone function, it obliges higher education institutions to ensure:

• transparency of study programmes and curricula;

• student information on learning pathways and evaluation;

• mechanisms for academic progression, credit accumulation and transfer;

• internal quality assurance systems focused on student success.

These provisions constitute the implicit legal basis for academic guidance delivered through institutional services and academic staff.

Academic guidance activities include provision of information on study programmes, personalised consultations on academic options, and support with study planning. These services are often delivered by student services departments or academic tutors within faculties. Many universities in Moldova maintain dedicated units for academic support and counselling, integrated into broader student affairs structures, ensuring students receive tailored advice about curriculum requirements, elective choices, examination regulations and academic progression pathways. 

The Framework Regulation on the Organisation of Admission to Bachelor’s, Master’s and Integrated Higher Education Studies, subject to annual approval, governs admission procedures for higher education and reinforces the obligation of institutions to provide clear, accessible and transparent information to candidates and students regarding:

• study programmes and cycles;

• admission requirements and selection criteria;

• progression rules and study options.

Although focused on admission, it supports academic guidance by defining institutional responsibilities for student information and orientation at entry points into higher education.

The national quality assurance system, via theNational Action Plan on Quality Assurance in Higher Education in the Republic of Moldova for the period 2021-2023 and other legal documents, require higher education institutions to implement internal quality assurance mechanisms. These include:

• student support services;

• monitoring of academic progress;

• counselling and guidance mechanisms embedded in institutional policies;

• student-centred learning approaches.

While not prescribing specific academic guidance structures, quality assurance standards expect institutions to demonstrate how they support students academically throughout their studies.

Under the principle of institutional autonomy guaranteed by the Education Code, universities adopt internal regulations governing:

• organisation of student services;

• academic tutoring or mentoring;

• study planning and academic progression;

• counselling and advisory roles of academic staff and student affairs units.

These internal regulations operationalise academic guidance at institutional level, in conformity with national legislation and quality assurance requirements.

Psychological counselling

Psychological counselling services in higher education aim to support students’ interpersonal and emotional well-being, reducing barriers to academic attainment arising from personal, social or mental health challenges. 

The Education Code of the Republic of Moldova establishes the general legal framework for organisation and operation of all levels of education, including higher education, quality assurance, institutional autonomy and student support measures. It does not contain a separate ministerial regulation dedicated solely to psychological counselling in higher education, but it underpins internal institutional regulations and services that universities provide.

The Programme for the development of inclusive education in the Republic of Moldova for the years 2024 - 2027, adopted as the national strategy for inclusive education, outlines broad policies and objectives to promote equal opportunities, accessibility and quality of support services across the education system (including in higher education). It provides the policy basis for psychological and counselling support structures to be implemented at institutional level in line with inclusive principles, even if it does not itself regulate specific service mechanisms.

Although currently there is no distinct ministerial regulation exclusively governing psychological counselling in higher education, institutions implement psychological support in line with broader policies on student support and inclusive education as outlined by the Ministry and embedded within institutional internal regulations. Services also contribute to preventive measures, peer support programmes, and crisis intervention, reflecting commitments to student welfare set out in national framework for quality assurance in higher education. 

Career guidance

Career guidance in higher education is institutionally organised through Career Guidance and Counselling Centres (Centre de ghidare și consiliere în carieră), operational in many universities as structural units under the Rectorate. These centres support students in planning their professional trajectories, exploring labour market opportunities, and developing employability skills, drawing on the  Methodological guide for the creation and operation of the university career guidance and counseling center for establishing and operating career guidance. 

Career guidance services includes information provision on professions and study paths, one-to-one consultations on career planning, employer panels and workshops, and activities linking academic training with labour market needs. Centres often maintain collaborations with employers, professional associations and NGOs to facilitate internships, workplace visits, career fairs and networking events, and they also monitor graduate outcomes and support alumni in career development. Career guidance centres customise their activities to support students with special needs, international students and those seeking guidance on postgraduate study options. 

The core framework for career guidance centres and their functions reflects national policy priorities to enhance lifelong guidance, employability and quality of higher education.