The legal framework for the organisation and operation of higher education is given by the Education Code of the Republic of Moldova.
The mission of higher education is to be a key factor for the cultural, economic and social development of the society based on knowledge. Higher education is a promoter of human rights, sustainable development, democracy, peace and justice.
Higher education institutions have university autonomy: academic freedoms without any kind of ideological, political or religious interference. They are autonomous in the fields of management, organisation and operation of the institution, teaching and scientific research, administration, and financing.
The University Charter establishes the mission, academic principles, objectives, structure and organisation of the higher education institution.
Higher education is based on qualification and accreditation standards:
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Qualification standards are developed and approved by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova. The National Qualifications Framework is implemented in the Republic of Moldova starting 2017 and is correlated with the European Qualifications Framework.
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Accreditation standards are developed by the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Research (ANACEC), coordinated with relevant ministries and approved by the Government.
The quality assurance system of higher education institutions provides two successive steps:
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Provisional operation authorisation.
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Accreditation.
A public or private institution, interested in offering higher education programmes, must undergo an external evaluation process, to obtain provisional operation authorisation, before starting to operate. The provisional operation authorisation of higher education study programmes expires after the first promotion of graduates. Then the institution must undergo an external evaluation process, to obtain accreditation.
Both the higher education institution and the study programmes are subject to accreditation. After obtaining accreditation, the study programmes and higher education institutions are subject to periodic external evaluation, to obtain re-accreditation, at least once every 5 years.
A higher education institution accredited for a master's programme can also offer other master's programmes in the same professional field, after their approval by the institution's senate. No external evaluation for provisional authorisation is required in this case. These master's programmes are considered provisionally authorised to operate in the same professional field, but remain subject to all accreditation procedures.
The accreditation (external assessment of quality) in higher education is carried out by the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Research (ANACEC) or another quality assessment agency, registered in the European Register for Quality Assurance in Higher Education.
The decision on the provisional operation authorisation or accreditation is adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research, based on the results of the evaluation carried out by the quality assessment agency.
The Development Strategy “Education 2030” focuses on achieving 9 key objectives:
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Quality education for sustainable development
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Inclusive education for an inclusive society
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Qualified teachers for quality education
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Society, community and family for quality education
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Effective and motivating learning environment
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Modern information and communication technologies for quality of education
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Adult learning and education for quality of life
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Scientific research relevant to innovation and quality in education
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Good governance and modern infrastructure for quality education
The higher education system of Moldova is part of the Bologna process since 2005 and is organised in 3 cycles, by levels of International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED):
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Cycle I - Bachelor (ISCED level 6);
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Cycle II - Master (ISCED level 7);
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Cycle III - Doctoral (ISCED level 8).
The integrated higher education studies (cycles I and II) are organised in the fields of medicine, pharmacy and dentistry; veterinary medicine; architecture.
The higher education is carried out in two branches: academic and advanced professional.
Organisation of the academic year:
The academic year contains 2 semesters and includes two exam sessions, internships and two vacations. A semester has an average duration of 15 weeks. The structure and duration of exam sessions, as well as the duration of vacations, are determined by the higher education institution.
During the 1st and 2nd cycles of higher studies, (Bachelor and Master) the student must accumulate at least 300 transferable study credits (ECTS), as follows:
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for an academic semester – minimum 30 transferable study credits;
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for one academic year – minimum 60 transferable study credits.
Higher education institutions can accept a maximum of 60 ECTS credits accumulated in professional technical education (ISCED level 5).
Higher Bachelor, Master and Doctoral studies are organised in the following forms:
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Full-time
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Part-time
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Distance education
In the case of part-time and distance education the duration of studies is longer by one year than full-time education. The number of ECTS credits and the content of the bachelor programme are the same for all forms of education (full-time, part-time and distance). The total number of ECTS credits is distributed proportionally by years and semesters of studies.
Integrated higher education studies (cycles I and II) are organised only in full-time format.