General education 

General education includes: 

• early education: ISCED 0,

• primary education: grades I-IV: ISCED 1, 

• lower secondary education: grades V-IX: ISCED 2, 

• upper secondary education: grades X-XII (XIII): ISCED 3.

The management structures of the specialised local body in the field of education include the administration council, the advisory council, and the head of the respective local body. 

The administration council is constituted by the order of the head of the local body specialised in the field of education. 

The nominal composition of the advisory council is approved by the decision of the local public administration authority of the second level, and in UTA Gagauzia - by the decision of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia. 

The head of the local specialised body in the field of education is designated by competition, organised based on the regulations approved by the Ministry of Education and Research, and appointed for a term of 4 years, by the decision of the local public administration authority of the second level/by the decision of the People's Assembly of Gagauzia. The same person cannot hold the position of leader of the local specialised body in the field of education for more than 8 years, regardless of the interruptions in the activity.

The governing bodies of the general education institution

At the level of the general education institution, there are:

• the administration council of the educational institution, with a decision-making role in the administrative field, which consists of: director, a deputy director, a representative delegated by the public administration from the first-level administrative-territorial unit where the institution is located, three representatives of the parents, delegated by the general assembly of parents, two representatives of the teaching staff, delegated by the teaching council, and one representative of the pupils, delegated by the pupil council of the institution;

• the council of teachers of the educational institution, with a decision-making role in the educational field, which is formed by the teaching staff of the respective institution and is led by the director of the educational institution.

At the level of the early education institution, there are:

• the administration council of the early education institution, with a decision-making role in the administrative field, which consists of: director, methodist, a representative delegated by the public administration from the first-level administrative-territorial unit where the institution is located, two parents, delegates from the general assembly of parents, two representatives of teaching staff, delegates from the pedagogical council;

• the pedagogical council of the early education institution, with a decision-making role in the educational field, which is formed by the teaching staff of the respective institution and is led by the director of the educational institution.

The administration council is headed by a person other than the director of the educational institution, appointed by the members of the council by secret ballot. The administration council of the private general education institution additionally includes a representative of the founder.

The administration council operates on the basis of a framework regulation approved by the Ministry of Education and Research. Representatives of civil society and the business environment can participate in the meetings of the administration council.

The administration council of the general education institution has the following competencies:

• participates, through its representatives, in the competition committee for the appointment of the director of the educational institution;

• participates, through its representatives, in the evaluation of the director of the educational institution;

• approves the institution's budget;

• approves the institution's development plan;

• manages the financial resources from sources other than the budgetary ones;

• approves the school component of the framework plan at the level of the institution;

• approves the rules for completing the classes, the number of classes and the staffing scheme of the institution.

Management staff

The management staff of the general education institution consists of the director and deputy directors.

The director of the general education institution has the following duties:

• represents the institution;

• issues orders, signs legal documents issued by the institution on behalf of the institution;

• hires, evaluates, promotes and dismisses the staff of the institution;

• is responsible for executing the institution's budget;

• elaborates the staffing scheme of the institution;

• elaborates and proposes for approval to the administration council the school component of the curriculum;

• elaborates the rules for completing the classes and the number of classes;

• ensures the inclusion in the policy and internal institutional planning documents of the institution of the commitment to prevent and combat violence, including bullying, as well as the necessary measures to comply with this commitment.

In the management activity, the director of the institution is assisted by one or more deputy directors.

The number of deputy director positions in public educational institutions is established by the local specialised body in the field of education, according to the norms approved by the Ministry of Education and Research.

The positions of director and deputy director are filled by competition, based on the criteria of professional and managerial competence. The regulation for the organisation and conduct of the competition for the position of director and deputy director is approved by the Ministry of Education and Research. At least one deputy director responsible for the educational process must have pedagogical studies.

The director and deputy directors of the public institution of general education are appointed for a term of 5 years. Upon the expiration of this term, the manager's individual employment contract automatically terminates, the position becoming vacant.

The director of the general education institution concludes an individual employment contract with the local specialised body in the field of education, and the deputy director - with the director of the general education institution.

The director of the general education institution can be released from his position before the expiration of the individual employment contract, under the conditions and grounds provided by the labour legislation, as well as in the following cases:

• committing financial violations;

• non-compliance with professional ethics;

• non-compliance with the standards in force of the promoted management;

• violation of the rights of children, pupils, employees and parents;

• repeatedly obtaining the qualification "unsatisfactory" at the evaluation of the institution carried out by the Ministry of Education and Research.

If the Ministry of Education and Research finds a faulty management of the public institution of general education, recorded in an evaluation report, the Ministry of Education and Research has the right to take over from the respective public authority the management of the institution in question and its related funding.

The criteria and procedures for taking over the management, in case of faulty management of the general education institution, are established by the Ministry of Education and Research.

After the Ministry of Education and Research takes over the management of the public general education institution, the individual employment contract concluded with the director of the educational institution in question is terminated.

Vocational education

The vocational education system includes all the educational institutions that offer programmes of:

• professional training of skilled workers, foremen, technicians and other categories of specialists in accordance with the National Framework of Qualifications, with the Nomenclature of professional training fields and trades/professions, with the Nomenclature of professional training fields, specialties and qualifications, approved by the Government, as well as with ISCED levels 3, 4 and 5;

• retraining of workers and specialists in various fields of professional training.

Vocational education institutions are subordinated to the Ministry of Education and Research, and, by case, to the relevant central bodies.

They operate on the basis of their own regulation, developed in accordance with the regulations for the organisation and operation of vocational education institutions, approved by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Management positions in technical vocational education institutions are: director, deputy director, and department head.

Directors of public technical vocational education institutions are selected through a competition, organised by the Ministry of Education and Research or by relevant ministries, and are appointed for a term of 5 years, the same person having the right to a maximum of two consecutive mandates, according to the regulation approved by the Ministry of Education and Research.

The director of the vocational education institution can be dismissed from his position before the expiration of the individual employment contract under the conditions and grounds provided by the labour legislation, as well as in the following cases:

• committing financial violations;

• non-compliance with professional ethics;

• non-compliance with the standards in force of the promoted management;

• violation of the rights of pupils, employees and parents;

• the negative evaluation of more than 30% of study programmes, a fact noted by the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education and Research.

The administrative and advisory bodies of vocational education institutions are made up of the board of directors, the council of teachers and the methodical-scientific council, the artistic council (in the case of educational institutions with an arts profile).

The duties of the administrative and advisory bodies are established in the normative acts developed by the Ministry of Education and Research and in the regulations of the vocational education institutions.

The council of teachers is the collective governing body of the vocational education institution and is led by the director of the institution.

The director of the vocational education institution annually submits to the Ministry of Education and Research and relevant ministries the institution's activity report, approved by the council of teachers, which is published on the institution's official web page.

Higher education

Higher education is carried out in two streams: academic and advanced professional and is structured in three cycles:

• cycle I – Bachelor’s higher education (ISCED level 6);

• cycle II - Master's higher education (ISCED level 7), cycle I and cycle II - integrated higher education (ISCED level 7);

• cycle III - Doctoral higher education (ISCED level 8).

In higher education, management is carried out on two levels: at the national level - by the Ministry of Education and Research and at the institutional level - by the management and administrative structures of higher education institutions.

Higher education management focuses on the following principles:

• the principle of university autonomy and academic freedom;

• the principle of public responsibility;

• the principle of strategic management;

• the principle of efficient and transparent management.

The system of governing bodies of higher education institutions consists of:

• senate,

• council for institutional strategic development,

• scientific council,

• faculty council,

• board of directors,

• rector of the institution.

The governing bodies of higher education institutions operate in accordance with the institutional regulation developed on the basis of the Framework Regulation on the establishment and organisation of the governing bodies of higher education institutions, approved by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Senate

The Senate of the higher education institution represents the supreme collective governing body, made up of scientific-didactic, scientific, didactic and non-didactic staff, elected by secret vote of the teaching staff body of the faculties, departments, scientific centres, from students, elected by the academic groups and students associations, from representatives of trade union bodies, in accordance with the institutional regulation developed on the basis of a framework regulation approved by the Ministry of Education and Research. The rector, vice-rectors and deans are ex officio members of the senate.

The term of office of the senate is 5 years, synchronised with the term of office of the rector. The term of office of students’ senate members is one year, with the possibility of renewing the mandate.

The Senate has the following powers and duties:

• ensures compliance with the principle of academic freedom and university autonomy;

• draw up and approve the University Charter;

• approves the Institutional Strategic Development Plan;

• approves the institution's budget;

• elaborates and approves the methodologies and regulations for the organisation of academic activities and programmes, research and artistic creation within the institution, as well as the methodologies and regulations for the recruitment, employment and evaluation of teaching staff;

• approves the organisational and functional structure of the educational institution. In the case of educational institutions in the fields of the military, security and public order, the organisational and functional structure is proposed by the senate and approved by the leaders of the relevant authorities in the fields of defence, security and public order to which the respective institutions are subordinate;

• elaborates and approves the regulation regarding the election of the rector, based on the framework regulation approved by the Ministry of Education and Research;

• confirms, without the right to change, the list of members of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development.

The Senate is led by the rector of the institution.

Council for Institutional Strategic Development

The Council for Institutional Strategic Development has the following powers and duties:

a. coordinates the elaboration of the institutional strategic development plan, which includes the vision, mission, development strategy of the educational institution and the main actions for a period of at least 5 years, and presents it to the senate for approval;

b. monitors, evaluates the efficiency of the use of financial resources and presents the draft budget of the educational institution to the senate for approval;

c. approves the standard study contract and the amount of study fees;

d. ensures institutional management regarding intellectual property rights and technology transfer;

e. takes decisions, after the favourable opinion of the senate, regarding:

• development and consolidation of the institution's patrimony, with at least 2/3 of the number of members' votes;

• initiation and closure of study programmes, with at least 2/3 of members votes;

• staff salary and incentive methodology;

• entrepreneurship activities, public-private partnerships, and cooperation with the business environment;

• employment in consortia and merging with other higher education institutions.

f. organises and leads the elections for the post of rector in accordance with the institutional regulation for organizing and conducting the elections.

The Council for Institutional Strategic Development consists of nine members, as follows:

• three members appointed: one member - by the Ministry of Education and Research, one member - by the Ministry of Finance, one member - by the founder. The appointed members cannot have the status of employee within the respective ministries;

• two members from the tenured teaching staff who do not hold management positions and are not members of the senate, selected by secret vote by the general meeting of faculty council members and students’ representatives from the senate and faculty councils;

• two members delegated from the senate who are external experts and do not have the capacity of holders of the respective institution;

• rector;

• vice-rector responsible for financial issues.

The composition of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development of the private higher education institution does not include representatives appointed by the Ministry of Education and Research and the Ministry of Finance. The decisions of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development of the private higher education institution are adopted with the vote of 5 members.

The members of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development are appointed for a 5-year term.

The President of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development is elected by its members. The institution's employees cannot be elected to the position of president of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development.

The composition of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development must include economists and lawyers. The person appointed by the Ministry of Finance must have specific competences regarding financial monitoring and auditing.

When establishing the Council for Institutional Strategic Development, the principle of gender equality must be respected.

The Council for Institutional Strategic Development meets at least once a quarter or whenever necessary, at the initiative of the president or at least 1/3 of the members.

The members of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development appointed by the educational institution benefit from a monthly allowance, with the exception of the rector and the vice-rector. 

The members of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development are responsible for the decisions taken, in accordance with the legislation in force.

Management of institutions

The operational management of the higher education institution is ensured by the rector, assisted by vice-rectors, with the support of the board of directors.

The rector is the budget executor of the higher education institution.

The rector is elected by the general assembly of teaching, scientific-didactic and full-time scientific staff, including deans, heads of departments/chairs elected by competition, and students’ representatives from the senate and faculty councils with the vote of the majority of members.

The initiation of the rector's election process is done by the Council for Institutional Strategic Development by publishing an announcement 2 months before the expiration of the current rector's mandate.

Candidates who hold scientific and scientific-didactic titles and have at least 5 years of experience in higher education and research can be elected to the position of rector, in accordance with the institutional regulation developed on the basis of the framework regulation approved by the Ministry of Education and Research.

Candidates for the post of rector, members of the Council for Institutional Strategic Development, cannot participate in the process of organising and conducting the elections.

The files of candidates for the post of rector are submitted to the Council for Institutional Strategic Development. Elections can take place if the files of at least 2 eligible candidates have been registered.

The Council for Institutional Strategic Development makes public the list of eligible candidates and organises the process of electing the candidate for the position of rector by the general assembly of teaching, scientific-didactic and tenured scientific staff and student representatives from the senate and faculty councils. Elections are carried out by universal, direct, secret and freely expressed suffrage.

The rector is confirmed in the post, based on the results of the elections, by order of the founder, within a maximum of 3 months.

The rector can be dismissed from office before the expiration of the mandate under the conditions of the labour legislation and at the initiative of the majority of the members of the senate or of the Council for institutional Strategic Development, of the founder, by the decision of the general assembly of teaching and scientific staff and student representatives from the senate and from the faculties’ councils, with the vote of the majority of members, in case of:

• improper fulfilment of the conditions specified in the individual employment contract and in the University Charter;

• non-compliance with the public responsibility obligations.

The rector appoints the vice-rectors for the period of his mandate not later than 6 months from the date of inauguration.

The rector initiates, through the competition commissions approved by the senate, the competition for the position of dean and head of department/chair, according to the institutional regulations, within no more than 6 months from the vacancy of the respective position.

The position of rector, vice-rector and dean can be held by one and the same person for no more than two consecutive mandates, of 5 years each. The term of office of the rector and vice-rectors automatically ends upon reaching the age of 65.

Rectors, vice-rectors, deans and heads of departments/chairs within educational institutions in the fields of the military, security and public order are appointed to positions by the leaders of the relevant authorities in the fields of defense, security and public order, under which the respective institutions are located, according to the special regulatory framework of the mentioned domains.

The founder concludes an individual employment contract with the rector, which also includes provisions regarding salary conditions. They are established by the founder at the proposal of the senate. The rector concludes an individual employment contract with the vice-rector. In order to access public financial means, the rector concludes contracts with the Ministry of Education and Research or with relevant central bodies.

The rector presents annually to the senate, the Council for Institutional Strategic Development and the founders a report on the institution's activity, which is published on the institution's official web page.