Doctoral studies system to be modernized, aligned with European standards in Moldova

The doctoral studies system will be modernized and aligned with European standards. A Regulation on organizing the study process was approved by the government today.

The reform, developed by the Education and Research Ministry (MEC), comes as a response to changes in recent years in the fields of education, research and innovation, as well as to the goals assumed by Moldova in the process of integration into the European Higher Education Area and the European Research Area.

“Through this reform, we are taking an important step towards a more coherent, more transparent doctoral system, one that is better connected to the real needs of society and the economy. We want the doctorate to be not just an academic stage, but a driver of innovation and development. We are simplifying admission, clarifying the rules and opening universities more to the economic environment, including by introducing industrial doctorates. This change will enhance the quality of research and will give doctoral students real opportunities for professional development, both in academia and in the private sector,” noted   Education and Research Minister Dan Perciun.

One of the most important changes concerns the way of admission to doctoral studies. The current system, based on competition for doctoral grants, will be replaced by a more transparent and predictable mechanism: state-funded places will be set annually by the government through the state order. This change will make it possible to correlate the number of doctoral places with national strategic priorities, with the evolution of research fields, and with the real capacity of higher education institutions to organize quality doctoral programmes.

The updated Regulation introduces clarifications regarding the roles and responsibilities of all actors involved: organizing institutions, doctoral schools, scientific councils, doctoral supervisors and advisory committees.

These adjustments aim to eliminate overlapping competences and differing interpretations between institutions, contributing to a uniform application of the rules and to improving the quality of doctoral studies.

At the same time, the provisions regarding the rights and obligations of doctoral students and supervisors are updated, including in terms of monitoring academic progress and observing norms of ethics and integrity.

A novel element of the reform is the introduction of the industrial doctorate – a new type of programme that strengthens the relation between universities and the economic environment. Through this model, doctoral students will be able to conduct research in partnership with companies, having access to infrastructure and expertise from the private sector. The measure is meant to stimulate applied research, increase the economic relevance of doctoral studies and facilitate the transfer of knowledge to industry.

The changes also include explicit regulations regarding: changing the doctoral supervisor; the functioning of the advisory committee; resolving conflict situations and organizing and defending the doctoral thesis.

The new mechanism will enter into force starting with the 2026–2027 academic year. At present, 1,902 people are enrolled in doctoral studies.