ONE YEAR AFTER REFORM: EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES OF HIGHER EDUCATION TRANSFORMATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Dragoș CIMPOIEȘ, Universitatea de Stat din Moldova
Аннотация
The article aims to evaluate the effects of Moldova’s higher education reform one year post-implementation, focusing on public university consolidation, international rankings, budget allocations, and student numbers, as well as
alignment with EU practices.
The study employs a mixed-methods approach, collecting data from institutional reports, government publications, and international databases. Key performance indicators and comparative analysis with EU countries are used
for assessment. The research finds that the reform succeeded in streamlining the higher education sector but failed to
improve international rankings or budget allocations. Notably, it exacerbated declining student enrollments.
The paper uniquely offers a one-year post-reform evaluation, considering both domestic impacts and broader
European implications, thereby filling a gap in the existing literature.
Keywords: Higher education reform, University consolidation, ranking, budget, Republic of Moldova.
