In the last 10 years, the number of students in the national universities decreased dramatically – from 78,000 to 42,000. In the last 5 years, the number of students stabilized. However, the education system today cannot generate more than 43,000 students given the demographic situation. Enrollments in the first year also decrease. In 2020, 14,000 students were enrolled. It’s the maximum figure on which universities can bank in the coming years, Minister of Education Dan Perciun estimated, IPN reports.
During a meeting with rectors of national universities, the minister noted that every year there are around 12,000 twelfth graduates, of whom 92% take the Baccalaureate exams. Despite all efforts, no more than 10,000 high school graduates remain in Moldova. Out of 6,000 college graduates, 70% continue their studies at university.
Dan Perciun also said that the university graduation rate is worrying. When overlapping data on enrollment and bachelor’s degree graduation, it is seen that of those admitted in 2014 – 82% graduated, but of those enrolled in 2019-2020, only 50% graduated.
For the first time, the employment rate of undergraduates was calculated. For three years, 2020-2023, an average employment rate of 42% was fixed. In Romania, it is around 70%, while overall in the EU – 86%.
According to the minister, there is a structural problem in the organization of the education system. A lot of investments in general education are made, but investments in the university system are not comparable to those at European level and this leads to discrepancies with the supply on the EU market. In the future, the objective of increasing funding for higher education should be set. The focus will be on the quality and completeness of studies, on the augmentation of universities’ own revenues and on internationalization and research.
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