Higher education policy development of the Republic of Moldova

1. Higher education policy development of the Republic of Moldova Ana GUŢU Prime Vice-Recteur Free International University of Moldova

2. Essential values of the universitas europea, called today to contribute at the formation of a new universality, a new humanism, are already defined: • freedom of thought and research , • Didactic, scientificand organizational autonomy, • democratic participation and societalresponsability, • innovationand transparency.

3. The mission of the university • Pope Alexander IV to the Universityfrom Paris, who declared in april, 1255 that the universityshould be dedicated to „researching, teaching and the education of the students associated incomplete freedomwith their teachers sharing common love for knowledge” (Alexander IV, 1958: p.602).

4. Bologna Process, after 8 years from it’s start, had a succes realisednot only on the base of interstate treaties, but a succes formedby the universitiesandeducation ministries. • The European academic community fixed concreteobjectivesand realized them in a short period of time, operating with transformationsinhigher education systems, in universities ’ organization, in curricula’s design, elementsthat had a significant impact overthe societythrough the students.

5. New Bologna Strategies – (after 2010): At institutional/national level: Reorientation of the university curricula contents over different age categories (demographicproblem) – the wide access assurance at higher education studies. The developmentat the university levelof some activitiesnetwork, documents, organizational entitiesforthe academic integrity promotion (Declaration from Bucharest, 2004)

6. The quality pentalateral Financial efficiency Excellency THE QUALITY OF ACADEMIC PROCESS’ Academic integrity Standards Transfor-mation Relevance

7. Legislative cadre after RM’s adhesionat theBologna Process, in may 2005 • Education law from 1995, law amendments from may 2005. The establishment of the 2 university cycles – Bachelor degree and Master Degree. • Education Code Project elaboratedand prezented to the Government. • The list of the professional formation domainsat theBachelor Degree cycle, adoptedby the Parliamentin may 2005, the Plan-cadre elaboratedby the Ministry of Education, the government decisionabout the organization of theMaster Degree studies adoptedin december 2007 • The national guide of theTransferable Creditsin baseof ECTS adoptedby ME in 2005

8. Deficiencies in legislation • The lackof a clear and exhaustive legislationin higher education domain • The existing incoherencebetween normativedocumentsthat regulates thehigher education system activityfrom RM (Doctor’s degree problem)

9. Macro – institutional deficiencies • The Ministryof Education does not assume the responsibility for the management competencesof the university research, this function being fulfilled bythe Academy of Sciences of RM and CNAA • Too many higher education institutions – 14 state inst.and 16 private inst. – for 3 mln 300 thousandinhabitants • Insufficient financingof the higher education institutions

10. Intra – institutional deficiencies • A high number of students in series and flaws • Directionsand university curriculainone. • Education process centered onteachernot student • The lackof quality management systemsbasedon transparency, anonymous surveysandparticipatory activitiesof the students

11. The university centered on the student • „The student has to be the outset in the organization of the higher education andin the formation of the university, not the teacher’s knowledge. The university has to betheinstitutional projectionof the student and the two it’s dimensions are: it’s improvement abilitytoobtain knowledgeand the necessities fulfillment of the student in specific knowledge for life” (Ortega y Casset, 1930: p.86).

12. Solutions • Permanent dialoguebetween ME andhigher education institutionsin the spirit of theRecomandationNo 1762 of PACEconcerning theacademic freedom. (Parlamentary Assembly. Recommandation 1762 (2006).//http://assembly. Coe.int/docuemnts/adoptedtext/ta06 Art. 4. The assembly ofPACE rreaffirmsthe right toacademic freedomand autonomy Art 11. Subsidiarity, transparencyandquality assuranceare preconditions.

13. Solutions • The adoption of theEducation Codein spirit ofthe adopted documentsatthe Bologna, Praga,Berlin, Bergen, London, Louvain- la Neuve meetings of higher education ministers and others. europeanregulator documents • The augmentation of the role of the Rectors Councilfrom RM

14. Solutions • The creation of the National Agencyof theQuality Evaluationin the Higher EducationandResearch • The transfer of the managementcompetencesof the researchfrom Academy of Sciences to ME andrenaming it in Ministry of Education and Research • The unificationof some public higher education institutions • The suspensionof activityof some higher education institutions

15. Recommendations • Wide emissions în in mass media aboutthe progression of the higher education reform.

16. Recommendations • Concentration of theuniversities effortsin promotionandcorrect interpretationof Bolognareform among studentsandteachers.

17. Recommendations • The dynamization of the interactivecommunicationsbetween universitiesand ME by the creationof an university expertsand governmentalcadres network responsable for Bolognareform.

18. Le due Torri

19. „The universityis the promoter of the european humanist traditions, it’s permanent care is the universalcognoscibilityforthe realisationof it’s vocation throughthe politic and geographic borders transcendence” (Magna Charta Universitatum, 1998).

20. Sources • AIU Horizons, mai 2007, vol.2-3. • AIU Horizons, octobre 2007, No- 13-14, p. 14-17 • Comité Directeur de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche(CDESR), 7-ème session plénière, Strasbourg, 6 – 7 mars 2008, « L’université entre humanisme et marché: redéfinir ses valeurs et fonctions pour le XXI-e siècle. Rapport et Conclusions de la Conférence de lancement(Strasbourg 20-21 novembre 2007). • Declaraţia de la Bucureşti despre Valorile şi Principiile Etice ale învăţământului Superior din Europa, adoptată în cadrul Conferinţei Internaţionale “Dimensiunile Etice şi Morale ale învăţământului Superior şi ştiinţei din Europa 2-5 septembrie 2004, Bucureşti, România; http://www.almamater.md/articles/879/index.html, consultat la 10 septembrie 2007. • Higher Education Governance between democratic culture, academic aspirations and market forces. Synopses of presentations. Strasbourg, 22-23 september 2005.

21. Sources • Harvey L. and Green D. Defining quality. In Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 18 (1), 1993. • Il ruolo delle Universita nello Spazio Europeo dell’Instruzione e della Ricerca. Sapienza Universita di Roma, 22 giugno 2007. • Olsen J. P.and Gornitzka A. Comprendre la signification du changement dans la gouvernance de l’université. Organisation et performances de l'université. In: AIU Horizons fevrier 2006, Vol.11.4-12.1, p.1,2,10. • Ortega y Casset J. Mision de la Universidad. In : Revista de Occidente, First Edition, Madrid, 1930. • Magna Charta Universitatum. Bologna, Italia, settembre, 1998. http://www3.unibo.it/avl/charta/charta.htm, consultat la 3 septembrie 2007 • Alexander IV. Letter to the University of paris, on the April 14, 1255. In: Introdaction. Bullarium Diplomatum. Vol.III, Torino, 1958. • London Communique, May 18. http://www.cicic.ca/docs/bologna/2007LondonCommunique.en.pdf, consultat la 25 mai 2007.

22. Thank you for your attention! Ana GUTU Prim- Vicerector Free International University of Moldova www.ulim.md agutu@ulim.md Personal site :www.anagutu.net