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About the ProjeCt 4 - 5

Foreword 6

KiCK-oFF meeting 7

seminAr 8

monitoring visit 9

our view 10 - 15

interview 16 - 17

Contents

54

Development of Quality Assurancein Higher Education in Moldova

QuAem

Project number:

530537-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-DE-TEMPUS-SMGR

budget:

€ 939,727.07

Project description:

In view of the prevailing situation in Moldovan higher education (HE) as

well as the high priority placed on quality assurance (QA) in HE in Europe,

the project is aimed at making the existing QA structures at Moldovan

HE institutions functional, integrating QA into the strategic development

of the universities and supporting Moldova to develop its own QA system

on all levels up to the international accreditation of pilot study programs

in accordance with EU standards. Its target groups are the management,

teaching staff, administration staff and students from 27 state and private

Moldovan HE institutions as well as representatives of two Moldovan state

ministries responsible for the quality and accreditation in the area covered by

the six HE institutions belonging to the Consortium.

Project goal:

The goal of the project is making quality assurance at Moldovan higher

education institutions functional and conducive to strategy development at the

universities.

objectives:

Make the internal quality assurance offices of the Moldovan higher

education institutions functional

Empower students to participate in quality assurance, foster quality

culture on level of students and staff

Establish a functional dialogue between quality management structures

and academic staff in order to complete the quality assurance cycle

Empower quality assurance offices to conduct self-evaluation and prepare

accreditation process

Conduct international accreditation process of three study programs

Capacity building at the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health,

including groundwork, a pool of experts and documentation for the

activity of the Agency for Evaluation and Accreditation of the Republic of

Moldova

results: Quality assurance offices, academic staff and students from 27 Moldovan HEIs

trained in QA

QA peer networks established at national level

Six HEIs (members of the Consortium) evaluated

Strategies for six HEIs developed

Three pilot study programmes prepared for internal accreditation

Capacity building at the Moldovan Ministry of Education for evaluation and

accreditation of study programs

Website on quality assurance in Moldova

statement by the Project Coordinator – university of Leipzig

This project investigates and supports the development of a QA system in HE

institutions of the Republic of Moldova under the conditions of a transition

society and the involvement of a large number of exogenous actors in this

process. A study on the needs analysis conducted in January 2011 has

demonstrated that the newly established quality management structures at

the Moldovan universities are not functional because of the lack of training

of the staff involved, the low profile of students in QA, the low level of

communication between the QA structures and the academic staff involved,

the missing link between quality assurance and HE institutions’ strategy

development and the lack of a body that brings QA activities together and

helps to implement common standards in the Republic of Moldova.

The project addresses all these challenges through (i) a series of trainings

for all the actors involved in the quality cycle (quality management officers,

deans, professors, students, universities’ central administration) that are

tailored to the specific needs in Moldova, (ii) the creation of peer networks

for all the actors’ groups, (iii) the internal evaluation and the international

accreditation of three pilot study programmes, (iv) the creation of a pool

of experts (professors and students trained and actively involved in the

process of international accreditation of the selected study programmes)

for the future accreditation body of Moldova and (iv) the link between quality

assurance, internationalization and strategy development of HE institutions.

Apart from its pragmatic goals—to make the existing QA structures in

Moldova functional and to prepare the accredited study programmes for

participation in joint and double degree programmes within Erasmus for All

starting in 2014—the project aims at the scientific assessment of this process

in the broader context of HE institutions’ transformation and the current

debates on QA worldwide. In the meantime the University of Leipzig regards

this project as a joint and mutually beneficial learning process for all the

partners involved.

About the ProjeCt

76

Foreword KiCK-oFF meeting

The transformation of QA mechanisms is a process that

is not restricted to one country and it is undertaken by

political authorities and the academic communities with

the intention to facilitate transnational mobility and to

improve quality of study and environments for innovative

research. Our Consortium, consisting of the Balti State

University “Alecu Russo”, the Cahul State University

“B.P. Hasdeu”, the State University of Moldova, the

State Medical and Pharmaceutical University “Nicolae

Testemitanu”, the Technical University of Moldova, the National Council

of Rectors of Moldova, the National Council of Students Organizations of

Moldova, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health from the side

of Moldova as well as the the Agency for Quality Assurance and Accreditation

of Study Programmes (AQAS), CHE Consult, the European Students Union,

Girona University, Leipzig University, the University Politehnica of Bucharest,

Roskilde University and WUS-Austria from the side of the European Union has

been assembled in order to propose a nation-wide QA system to the Republic

of Moldova and to help its universities to implement the various elements

of such a system within the next three years. At the end of this period of

implementation, we expect three sample study programmes to be accredited

against standards recognized all over Europe as a model to be followed in the

future.

Since the kick-off-meeting for this three-year project funded by the European

Union in Chisinau in late November 2012, the multi-national team has worked

hard to achieve its first goals. Sitting around a massive table during the first

meeting in Chisinau, people from Moldovan universities, ministries and

other organizations as well as from universities and agencies across Europe

established an action plan for the first project year. The initial step we agreed

upon was conducting a survey on what is done already in matters of quality

assurance in the Republic of Moldova and where we can identify space for

improvement. Based upon these findings three rounds of training for QA

officers and academics from the participating universities were planed. At

the same time, we focused on the role of student representatives. We have

to thank our partners at the University of Girona for organizing a first on-site

visit to their university that will take place in Girona in October 21-22 and

during which they will introduce project members to the QA practices in place

there. We also look forward to a similar study trip to the University of Roskilde

in late November, which will be combined with a seminar on EU experience in

QA and another meeting of our Consortium.

A look back on the activities since last November confirms the impression

of hard and successful work which will help Moldova’s higher education

institutions in building a working QA structure based upon their own unique

vantage point as well as the experiences of our partners in other parts of

Europe. We are grateful for the support we received so far from our local

partners and especially from the Moldovan political authorities. This first

newsletter will inform you about the Consortium activities mentioned

above in greater detail. At the same time, we hope it serves the purpose of

disseminating experiences we gained in our project so far.

During this first year of cooperation, truly transnational teamwork has been

initiated; I can only thank all participants for their commitment.

Professor dr. matthias middell

Head of the QUAEM Consortium

On December 3-5, 2012, all partners of the QUAEM

Consortium met in Chisinau for the kick-off meeting.

This meeting included an exchange of views on the recent

development in the Consortium’s universities with regard

to quality assurance, the role of various stakeholders in

this process, the challenges related to the post-socialist

transformation and those driven by Europeanization and

globalization processes in Moldova.

This meeting enabled all participants to get a deeper insight into the

processes taking place in higher education in Moldova and opened the

discussion on how the developments in Moldovan HEI—on national level

of politics, in various EU countries (on national and institutional levels)

as well as on the level of EU policies concerning the creation and further

development of the higher education area in Europe—could be linked

together.

The project’s partners agreed upon an action plan for the first project year,

which includes a survey on the current stage of Quality Assurance at the

Consortium’s universities, a three-rounds training on Quality Assurance for

QA officers, representatives of academic staff and of the universities’ central

administrations, a seminar on the role of students in Quality Assurance, a

site visit to Girona in combination with the last round of QA trainings, a study

trip to Roskilde combined with a seminar on EU experience in QA and, lastly,

a Consortium meeting. All these activities should prepare the Consortium’s

universities for a thorough internal evaluation aiming at strategy development

and the international accreditation of three pilot-study programmes in the

next two years. Additionally, they serve the purpose of harmonizing the

efforts undertaken by universities towards developments on the national

level with regard to the establishment of an agency for quality assurance

and accreditation and the creation of a national pool of experts on quality

assurance in higher education.

dr. victoria reinhardt

QUAEM project manager

98

Developing a Common Vision for a Functional Quality Assurance System

Assurance in Higher Education held in Chișinău, May 7-8, 2013, is one of the

activities of the WP1 coordinated by the University of Girona (UdG). The main

trainer was Josep Grifoll, a recognized QA expert, accompanied by the head of

the planning and evaluation department of the UdG, MireiaAgusti.

There will be three rounds of trainings conducted in total. The participants of

the first round will help to prepare the second round and act as co-trainers

in the second and third round. The participants of the second round will act

as co-trainers in the third round. These activities will represent a “train-the-

trainer” component which will be a more effective way to build capacity than

mere participating in training sessions could ever be. Representatives from

both Ministries of Health and Education were present at the trainings as a

form of capacity building and will also participate in the train-the-trainer

activities. As part of these exercises guidelines for selecting and training new

staff will be developed.

From April 3 to 6, 2013, Victoria Reinhardt (University of

Leipzig, coordinator) and Lukas Bischof (CHE Consult,

responsible for project quality assurance) visited

representatives of all the six universities of the Consortium

and of the Ministry of Education of Moldova as well as the

student representatives of all of the project universities

to discuss the project, clarify expectations and make

preparations for the first round of QA trainings, which took

place on May 7-8. During the monitoring visit, there was

also a financial workshop on key aspects related to the financial management

of the project.

All in all, the project is on a good track. All of the foreseen activities so far

have been implemented and all partners are highly motivated. There are high

expectations among the project universities related to the accreditation of

the three selected study programmes. Due to the lack of a national body for

accreditation for such a long time, graduates from study programmes that

are not accredited have difficulties working or studying outside of Moldova

as their diplomas are sometimes not recognized. Some universities organize

the accreditation of their strategically important study programmes outside

the country (in most cases by the Romanian Accreditation Agency) and are

very much interested in the future national agency for QA and Accreditation

recognizing the respective accreditation certificates.

The meeting with student representatives revealed students’ strong interest

to be actively involved at all levels (at the institutional level for the internal

audit and the preparation for accreditation, at the national level through the

creation of a pool of student experts and at the international level through a

link between the Moldovan student-experts pool and the ESU pool of experts).

In the meantime, students expressed the wish to engage in a more active

dialogue with ESU, which the project will also try to foster.

The political situation, albeit in transition, seems to be favourable to the

implementation of the project. The Ministry of Education has recently

developed an organic law on the establishment of an Agency of Quality

Assurance and Accreditation in Moldova. The plan of the Ministry is to have

this law adopted by the end of 2013 at the latest and to start developing the

necessary basis for the activity of the agency.

During the meeting, it became clear that the development of accreditation

criteria by the Ministry of Education of Moldova and the future quality assurance

agency as well as the standards used in the accreditations conducted by our

Consortium should be closely linked. The project should therefore contribute to

the development of a basis for the activities of the new agency by training a pool

of local QA experts, establishing a pool of student representatives and providing

the opportunity to conduct a first trial of accreditation procedures through the

accreditation of the three selected study programmes at the end of the project.

The experience of the EU countries represented in the consortium as well as the

experiences gained by the Moldovan universities within this project will help to

establish the concrete framework of the Moldovan QA agency. By carefully aligning

the activities of the QUAEM project with the development of the new QA agency of

Moldova, the accreditation conducted in the QUAEM project can be used as a form

of pilot experience for the operation of the future quality assurance agency.

Lukas bischof

CHE Consult GmbH, Project Manager

seminAr monitoring visit

1110

tiraspol state university

During the project, the organizational structure of the university system of

quality management will be consolidated and its operation will be improved.

Infrastructure will be complemented by appropriate technical means for

implementing modern technologies in order to improve the educational

process and assessment criteria.

The task of quality assurance at the level of faculties and chairs will be

focused on planning and developing assessment procedures, on monitoring

and continuous improvement of the training and research process.

Involvement of students and university staff in the training sessions and the

visits to partner universities with extensive QA knowledge will help us acquire

experience and reach values close to the standards of European higher

education.

One of the final goals of the project is the improvement of the Master’s study

programmes to be accredited at the European level.

Following the implementation of the project goals, we hope to achieve a

better quality in the educational process, which will lead to the recognition of

Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees on the European labour market.

dr. Larisa sali

Local co-ordinator

balti state university

What do we think of QUAEM? The project “Development of Quality

Assurance in Higher Education in Moldova” is an opportunity to understand

how universities can add value to society through knowledge, research

and innovation focused on quality. It is a European project with a strong

consortium that can help contribute to sustainable capacity building in

creating QA offices at universities in Moldova. This project will optimize the

quality culture in our universities and promote the knowledge triangle of

“education, research and innovation” with the development of institutional

models tailored to the needs of a changing society and striving towards a

seamless integration with the European HEI system.

Our expectations: Knowledge of EU experience in external as well as self-

evaluation, developing individual quality monitoring tools to accumulate

experience with Assessment of QUAEM progress on three levels, developing

the ability to move from Quality Assurance to Strategy Development and

quality culture.

Visions for the future: Joint project with the consortium universities,

implementation of the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality

Assurance, experiences of self-assessment and external audit, accountability

of managers and employees of universities to promote quality culture.

dr. valentina Pritcan

Local co-ordinator

our viewour view

1312

State University of Moldova

In order to increase the autonomy of higher education institutions in the

Republic of Moldova as well as domestic competition and expansion of

academic mobility, Moldova State University considers quality assurance one

of the basic tools to provide its clients with high-quality education services in

the training of highly qualified personnel.

Thus, through the involvement in this project, our institution is committed

to the overall goal of developing a national system of quality assurance that

would allow quality indicators for the accreditation of study programmes at

the national and international level.

In the absence of national accreditation agencies, Moldova State University

pursues the following objectives:

• development and improvement of tools (techniques and methods) for

quality assurance

• involvement, through collaboration of all the actors of the higher

education system, in the quality assurance system (the administrative unit

responsible for the MSU, decanate, chairs, teaching staff, students)

• the creation of a mechanism for cooperation with the labour market, in

order to identify market demands

• the modernisation and adaptation of study programmes offered by the

institution according to the requirements of the labour market

• accreditation (national and international) of the study programmes offered

at MSU

dr. Liliana rotaru

Local co-ordinator

State University of Medicine

Enhancing the quality of higher education is a key priority for the State

University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Nicolae Testemitanu” and other

universities aspiring to EU integration. Quality assessment and accreditation

procedures are crucial in improving the quality of education and in enhancing

academic mobility. QUAEM will strengthen QA in the entire Moldovan HE

system and help universities implement a well-functioning QA process.

Our expectation from the project is to have a functional QA system within

the University by strengthening the capacities of persons involved in quality

management, empowering students in QA processes and developing QA policy

documents (Guideline for self- and external evaluation and QA strategy).

International accreditation of study programmes will create the conditions

needed for a widespread recognition of qualifications and study periods

abroad, which is at the heart of the European Higher Education Area.

dr. olga Cernetchi

Local co-ordinator

our viewour view

1514

ESU

The Republic of Moldova is a signatory country to the Bologna process and a

member of the European Higher Education Area. Moldovan students, as any

others, should be able to benefit from a high-quality higher education system

and to contribute to its development as competent and constructive partners.

In addition to that, it is important for Moldovan students to gain international

experience through study periods abroad, to get their diploma recognized

when applying for postgraduate studies in foreign universities. In order to

fulfil students’ expectations, it is important that commitment to Bologna

reforms is translated into coherent action.

One of the core policy areas of the Bologna process is quality assurance –

having an independent, reliable and transparent system for quality assurance

is a prerequisite for facilitating trust in higher education providers on the

national level and abroad. However, it is well understood that setting up such

a system requires specific expertise, which is generated through the QUAEM

project. The European Students’ Union (ESU) is a partner in this project and

has an important role to play, which is empowering students’ participation

in quality assurance on all levels within the Moldovan higher education

system. ESU, together with the local student representatives, has developed

a concept for the capacity building event for students, which will take place

in September 2013. One of the outcomes planned for the event is setting up a

national pool of student-experts to participate in the external reviews as well

as to contribute to the development of quality culture on campus.

On the European level, it has been a decade since students have had a say

in quality assurance. On the national level, however, students still face

challenges when it comes to involvement in the governance of quality

assurance agencies, participation in external reviews, to name just two

examples. ESU hopes that QUAEM will create a model for genuine student

participation in QA in Moldova.

Karina ufert

ESU chairperson

Students of Moldova

Being part of a consortium devoted to implementing a functional quality

assurance system in Moldovan higher education is a new experience for all

members of the National Council of Student Organizations from Moldova.

From the start, QUAEM recognized that involving students and allowing us to

make our voices heard is crucially important for a sensible development of

QA structures. As Moldovan student representatives, we experience higher

education in Moldova differently than some other partners – university staff

and politicians – do. Thus, we hope to contribute additional insights to the

project and to work closely with our project partners in order to harmonize all

different approaches.

During the kick-off meeting, NCSO gained important insights into various

countries’ and institutions’ QA structures as well as their pros and cons. In

the future, we hope to take cues on how to implement a reliable QA system in

Moldovan higher education according to the Bologna guidelines. We also hope

to have the opportunity to get in touch with students from other countries to

exchange experiences and to partake in other interactive activities. We believe

that the project will be a success and are committed to contributing to it so

that Moldova can have its own accreditation agency in the near future.

victoria bivol, m.A.

State University of Moldova

our viewour view

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Interview with Dr. Nadejda Velisco, Head of Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Moldova

what are your thoughts about the current situation in the republic of moldova, the recent developments regarding the bologna process, and the reforms in he?

Higher Education in the Republic of Moldova has undergone profound changes

in recent years. The reforming process of the higher education system has

itself undergone both quantitative as well as qualitative structural and content

changes.

The most prominent reforms in HE have happened since the declaration of the

intent to align the Moldovan HE to the unique European area according to the

Bologna Declaration.

Pre-ascension activities first of all envisioned structural reforms, the

elaboration of the normative framework, active involvement and dialogue

with the teaching staff, students and the community. There have been made

legislative adjustments regarding the new architecture of higher education, the

implementation of the European System of Transferable Credits and distance

learning as a form of higher education organization.

Aiming at adapting the qualifications awarded by the national HE to the ones

awarded on a European level, a new nomenclature of fields and specialties for

HE has been approved after being designed according to the requirements of

the domestic and European labour markets.

New generations of education plans have been elaborated according to the

plan’s framework; analytical programs have been revised and updated.

Among other measures that have been implemented, starting with the 2005

promotion, all graduates (Bachelor and Master) of the Moldovan HE institutions

receive a Diploma Supplement mandatorily and free of charge, issued both in

RM’s official language and in English, as well as other actions.

what grade would you give the republic of moldova for its degree of implementation of the bologna process, on a scale of 1 to 10?

I think that in order to give some kind of appreciation of the progress of the

reforms towards the implementation of the Bologna process, we need agencies

that would assess the impact of the implemented actions. Personally, I think

that the effect of the reforms implemented in HE benefits all citizens of the

Republic of Moldova.

what is your vision about the future of the he in the republic of moldova?

The Republic of Moldova as well as the entire European education area has

witnessed a widening of access to HE as a result of economic development,

changes in the labour market and the increase of the number of people who

request higher education, motivated by socio-cultural requirements.

Basically, we are witnessing a change of the priorities from having secondary

vocational studies, as a precondition for ensuring a long-term well-paid job,

to the pressing need for higher education as a confirmation of professional

aspirations. Higher education is no longer a vocation or a privilege, but rather

a social requirement: Today’s society cannot function in the absence of well-

prepared and qualified persons or without the expansion of scientific research,

which shapes the progress of our society. In the context of autonomy and responsibility:

a) An equilibrium must be reached between the institutional autonomy and

the responsibility of the HE institutions with state financing – universities need

a consolidated autonomy to better serve society, while their management is

able to design efficient internal structures, to select and train the necessary

personnel, to elaborate academic programmes and to use the financial

resources according to their own objectives

b) Greater flexibility must be granted while the universities provide various

study programmes, courses, etc.

c) Internships must still be one of the universities’ duties in partnership with

private companies. Universities must be adamant in demanding that students

be placed with those companies

d) More autonomy to the teaching staff according to the European visions

e) Entrepreneurial activity must be recommended to the universities

in the context of the administration reform, there is a need for the introduction

into the structure of universities’ administration of councils for strategic and

institutional development, with crystal clear responsibilities, for example who

approves the strategic plan of the institution and how the administrative bodies

such as the senate, the council of administration, etc., collaborate.

The adherence to the European Higher Education Area requires the introduction

of the national framework of qualifications into the legal framework,

redesigning the curricula within the context of the teaching results, student-

oriented teaching, development of common and dual diploma within the

framework of a policy of internationalization, fostering tighter connections with

the private sector aiming at boosting the employment chances of the graduates,

bringing the Doctorate Cycle III studies to the level 8 ISCED, etc.

do you think that the development of a QA system can be a useful instrument?

Quality Assurance is considered to be one of the important factors in amplifying

the attractiveness and competitiveness of the European HE on an international

level. Furthermore, it is a well-known fact that QA systems play a vital role in

guaranteeing quality standards as well as providing a common denominator

for the comparison of the titles and qualifications awarded by European

universities. Hence, the Republic of Moldova will also have the QA system as a

useful tool for adhering to the European Higher Education Area.

what is the work plan for the foundation of the national Agency for Quality Assurance?

Presently, the Ministry of Education has initiated a series of amendments to

the current Law on Education regarding the creation of the National Agency

for Quality Assurance. After presenting the bill to the interested ministries, it

will be submitted for approbation to the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova.

The bill regarding the creation of the Agency will be approved in July 2013.

After the Law comes into force, an interim council by the government’s side

interviewinterview

1918

will be given a term of six months for the elaboration and approval of the

Agency’s Regulation, its structure, staff employment and the establishment of

the Council of Administration. Concomitantly, work groups will elaborate the

methodology for evaluation and accreditation as well as other normative acts

necessary for the activity of the Agency.

in your opinion, what support could the ministry provide to this Agency?

A6. The Ministry of Education is the institution which has the most interest in

the quality of higher education, which is the reason why it will promote the bill

regarding the creation of the National Agency for Quality Assurance and will

support the entire process of its establishment.

how do you regard the role of the universities in the development of the QA system?

A7. Currently, the great majority of universities have developed internal quality

management systems. The experience of these universities will contribute

to the development of the methodology of evaluation and accreditation,

elaboration of reference standards and performance indicators used during

the evaluation and assurance of education quality. At the same time, university

staff will participate in activities performed by specialty commissions during

the evaluation and accreditation of higher education institutions and study

programs.

what are your thoughts regarding the project „development of Quality Assurance in higher education institutions in the republic of moldova”?A8. The project „Development of Quality Assurance in Higher Education

Institutions in the Republic of Moldova” responds to the great need of reform

of higher education. The implementation of this project will contribute to

the development of a legal framework regarding quality assurance and the

development of instruments for the evaluation and accreditation of education

institutions and study programmes. The project will contribute to the formation

of skills for all the actors involved, which will be a part of the evaluation and

accreditation processes. For the first time, a special role in these processes is

reserved for students.

how does the ministry of education plan to get the moldovan he institutions involved in the creation of the national Agency for QA, including the necessary documentation (such as the indicators and external evaluation and accreditation procedures), which is key to the Agency’s activity?

A9. As I mentioned earlier, university staff will contribute to the development

of the Agency through their own involvement. It is planned that the Agency will

have a pool of experts on fields/specialties who will participate in the process

of evaluation and accreditation. As far as the elaboration of key documentation

is concerned, they will be able to participate within the groups of experts who

will elaborate the methodology of evaluation and accreditation, the respective

procedures, reference standards, performance indicators regarding quality

assurance, etc.

interview

20

Partner institutions:

impressum:

Published by: Project Consortium - “QUAEM”

Coordination: Dino Mujkić

Design: Agencija LOGO

Lector: Alexandra Hähnert

Translation: Alexandar Umanet