EUniAM work packages

The objective of WP1 is to launch the EUniAM project and conduct introductory development workshops in the Republic of Moldova on the EU perspective on university autonomy. The leader of this work package is Dr. Romeo V. Turcan, Project Coordinator.

To achieve the above, the project management team is formed and together with EU partners work on fine-tuning the work plan. When the work plan is fine-tuned, the preparatory work starts to launch the project.

The EU project partners travel to Moldova to take part in the launch of the project and at the same time to make presentations on various types of university autonomy and other related issues during a development workshop.

The following key activities are designed:

• To constitute the project management structure
• To have preparatory mission of the EU team
• To organize working meeting of the project management team
• To have the kick-off meeting
• To organize development workshops (WP6)

The following deliverables are produced:

Project management structure

At the kick-off meeting, the project steering committee and the executive body were formed who would report once per year to all partners at the Annual General Meeting. Details are available here.

Fine-tuned draft action plan

An action plan has been designed to ensure successful and timely completion of the EUniAM project.

The action plan is derived from the work packages of the project and highlights a sequence of actions that must be undertaken as well as the deadlines to adhere to by the project partners and project management in order for the project to succeed.

The 3 year draft action plan can be accessed here.

WP3 (benchmarking) action plan [Jan-June, 2014] could be accessed here.

WP4 action plan [Nov 2014 - June 2015] could be accessed here.

Workshop presentations

The aim of this workshop was inter alia to introduce the project to all local project partners and its key stakeholders, present current understanding of university autonomy, and briefly acquaint the participants with the current status of university autonomy in the EU project partners: Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Sweden, and UK/England. The presentations are available here.

The objectives of this work package are to evaluate the current situation of the university autonomy in the Republic of Moldova and disseminate the findings. The leader of this work package is Prof. Larisa Bugaian, Moldovan Coordinator.

To achieve the above objectives, a research methodology is designed. The Task Force and Task Force Mission employ this methodology to collect and analyze the data on the extant status of the university autonomy in the Republic of Moldova.

The findings and the analysis are presented in four reports, covering the four types of university autonomy, namely organizational, financial, staffing and academic autonomy. The feedback on preliminary findings and data analysis are sought locally from various key stakeholders as well as from the EU project partners and the external experts.

The final drafts are compiled together in a country university autonomy situation analysis report that is disseminated nationally via a round table. A core team of experts in Moldova work on methodology design, data collection and analysis, and report writing. It is expected all project Moldovan partners provide data, inputs and feedback to this process.

The following key activities are designed: 

To assemble the Task Force and the Task Force Mission

To draft and finalize the methodology

To collect and analyze the data

To collect the feedback from the EU experts and local key stakeholders To produce and disseminate four reports on university autonomy (WP6) To produce and disseminate a country report on university autonomy (WP6)

The following deliverables are produced: 

Research methodology (available in the evaluation reports)

Four reports on organizational, financial, staffing and academic autonomy

Report on Organizational Autonomy in Moldova (pdf)

Report on Financial Autonomy in Moldova (pdf)

Report on Human Resources Autonomy in Moldova (pdf)

Report on Academic Autonomy in Moldova (pdf)

Consolidated report on evaluation of existing situation of university institutional autonomy

• Evaluation of Existing Situation of University Institutional Autonomy in Moldova (pdf)

Edited book:

• University Institutional Autonomy in Moldova / EN (pdf)
• University Institutional Autonomy in Moldova / RO (pdf)

The objectives of this work package are to learn in depth about the university autonomy in the EU and disseminate the findings. The leaders of the work package are the EU partners that host the Task Force and Task Force Mission teams.

The Task Force and the Task Force Mission teams travel to the EU partner universities to learn, evaluate, and reflect on the EU experience on university autonomy. Meetings and discussions with various decision makers at university level as well as at the public and/or governmental levels are organized.

It is expected each member of the Task Force rights after every visit s/he takes part in a three-page learning reflection report (reflecting on each autonomy type).

The Task Force Mission produces four EU benchmark reports per types of university autonomy, and the EU partners provide comments and recommendations on these benchmark reports.

The final benchmark reports are translated into Romanian and presented to various stakeholders individually, as well as at a general round table for a wider public awareness.

The following key activities are designed:

To prepare the study visits for the Task Force (Task Force study visits)

Task Force study visits

Study visit to Romania

• List of participants
• Visit Agenda

Study visit to Denmark

• List of participants
• Visit Agenda

Study visit to Lithuania

• List of participants
• Visit Agenda

Study visit to Sweden

• List of participants
• Visit Agenda

Study visit to Scotland

• List of participants
• Visit Agenda

To visit the EU partner universities (EU partner presentations)

EU partner presentations

During the visits EU partners made a series of presentations about higher education systems in their countries and various issues of university autonomy.

Visit to Romania

The presentations were made in the Romanian language.

To prepare benchmark visits for the Lead Task Force teams

To collect and analyze benchmark data on EU university autonomy on site 

Lead Task Force missions

o collect primary and secondary data for the benchmark analysis of university institutional autonomy within and across EU partner countries, namely: Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland and Sweden, the Lead Task Force team visited Lithuania, Scotland, Sweden and Denmark between January and March of 2014 (data collection on HE in Romania was based on a desk-top research with inputs from the project partner in Romania, University of Suceava Stefan cel Mare).

During each visit, the team met with university management and faculty members, with representatives from the Ministry of Education, research, funding and quality assurance agencies, rectors’ council, students and labour unions. Visit agendas are presented below:

Mission Agenda to Lithuania - Jan 20-24, 2014 (pdf)

Mission Agenda to Scotland - Feb 3-7, 2014 (pdf)

Mission Agenda to Sweden - Feb 16-22, 2014 (pdf)

Mission Agenda to Denmark - Mar 3-7, 2014 (pdf)

To disseminate the benchmark reports (WP6)

The following deliverables are produced:

Experience reports (learning reflections)

After each study visit to the EU partner universities, each participant was asked to reflect on his/her experience by writing a three-page learning reflection essay. The following questions guided the writing process:

1. What have I learned during the visit?
2. Why what I have learned is important?
3. How what I have learned could be applied/implemented in Moldova?
4. What are the challenges/issues that could emerge during the process of implementation?

The learning reflections are provided below:

• Romania Study Visit
• Denmark Study Visit
• Lithuania Study Visit
• Sweden Study Visit
• Scotland Study Visit

Benchmark reports

Comparative Analysis of University Organizational Autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland and Sweden (pdf)

Comparative Analysis of University Academic Autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland and Sweden (pdf)

Comparative Analysis of University Financial Autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland and Sweden (pdf)

Comparative Analysis of University Human Resources Autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland and Sweden (pdf)

Consolidated report

Benchmark Analysis of Higher Education Sectors in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland and Sweden (pdf)

Edited book

Benchmarking Analysis of Institutional University Autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania,  Scotland, and Sweden / EN (pdf)

Benchmarking Analysis of Institutional University Autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania,  Scotland, and Sweden / RO (pdf)

The objectives of this work package are to draft legislative proposals on university autonomy in the Republic of Moldova and disseminate them. The leader of this work package is Prof. Larisa Bugaian, Moldovan Coordinator.

The Task Force and Task Force Mission teams draft four legislative proposals covering all types of the university autonomy drawing on country university autonomy situation analysis and EU benchmark reports.

In the process of drafting specific legislative proposals, the Task Force and Task Force Mission teams make use of templates that are employed by the Parliament of Moldova when changes to or amending a piece of legislation are proposed.

The feedback on university autonomy legislative proposals are sought widely from the Moldovan project partners as well as from key stakeholders locally, from EU project partners as well as external experts.

A number of public debates are organized with the participation of Rectors' Council, members of the Government, Ministry of Education, the parliament, other key stakeholders, including representatives from the civil society.

The following key activities are designed:

To draft the proposal on administrative autonomy and collect feedback

To draft the proposal on staffing autonomy and collect feedback

To draft the proposal on academic autonomy and collect feedback

To draft the proposal on financial autonomy and collect feedback

To draft specific legislative proposal

To debate and disseminate legislative proposals (WP6)

The following deliverables are produced:

Legislative Proposals on Enhancing University Autonomy

The final draft of Legislative Proposals may be downloaded here.

Commentary on Education Code

The final draft of the Commentary is available here (EN) and (RO)

Good Practice Guide per each type of autonomy

Good Practice Guide could be found in the book that consolidates WP4 deliverables.

BOOK

Restructuring, Rationalizing, and Modernizing Higher Education Sector in the Republic of Moldova

Restructurarea, Raţionalizarea si Modernizarea Sectorului Invăţământului Superior în Republica Moldova (var RO)

This book consolidates WP4 outputs, namely: (1) legislative proposals; (2) commentary on Education Code; and (3) Good Practice Guide.

The objective of this work package is to ensure quality control during the entire duration of the EUniAM project. The project steering committee, the executive body, external experts, as well as Moldovan and EU partners contribute to the achievement of this objective.

A consortium agreement is signed between all project partners the sole purpose of which is to set-up all aspects of internal operation and coordination necessary for the management and the implementation of the project aimed to ensure the fulfillment of the project objectives as set out in the Grant Agreement.

The quality control is ensured via internal on-going periodical monitoring and control (peer review), monitoring reporting, final internal evaluation reporting, as well as external evaluation conducted by two project experts. There is also an external audit.

The following key activities are designed:

• On-going internal periodical monitoring and control (peer review)
• On-going external evaluation by two external experts
• Inter project coaching activities

The following deliverables are produced:

Monitoring reports

The first field monitoring was carried out by the National Tempus Office's Coordinator in Moldova, Prof. Valentin Arion on November 29, 2013. This monitoring confirmed that the project was on track. The recommendations from the National Tempus Office's Coordinator in Moldova were implemented by July 2014.

The second field monitoring was carried out by a team from the Agency comprising of Prof. Valentin Arion, Coordinator of the National Tempus Office Moldova, Jose Gutierrez (EACEA) and France Dantin (EACEA). This monitoring confirmed that the project was on track. The recommendations from the National Tempus Office's Coordinator in Moldova were implemented by November 2014.

The monitoring reports are available on the project intranet.

Internal evaluation reports

The first internal evaluation was carried out on November 26-27, 2013 and the second on November 18-19, 2014 after the first and second year of operation was completed respectively. Following the progress reporting from the project coordinator, Dr. Romeo V. Turcan, the Chairman of the Steering Committee, Prof. Olav J. Sorensen, produced the internal evaluation reports, highlighting the progress made as well as issues to be considered.

The internal evaluation reports are available on the project intranet.

External evaluation reports

The first external evaluation report was carried out on November 26-27, 2013 and the second on November 18-19, 2014 after the first and second year of operation was completed respectively. Following the review of draft project deliverables as well as the progress reporting, Prof. John Reilly produced the external evaluation reports, highlighting the progress made as well as issues to be considered.

The external evaluation reports are available on the project intranet.

Audit reports

Due in October/November 2015.

The objective of this work package is to ensure efficient communication and dissemination of the project results. This work package is led by the Executive Body.

Internal communication tools are established, incl., the design of the project website and project booklet. The Moldovan project partners as well as EU project partners engage in communicating the updates on the project to the media.

A modern, teleconference room is established to facilitate the project communication.

A two day international conference on university autonomy is organized. The proceedings from the conference contribute to the process of drafting legislative proposals on university autonomy.

The following key activities are designed:

• To develop internal communication tools
• To develop project website
• To develop project booklet
• To produce newspaper articles
• To organize press conferences and briefings
• To issue press releases
• To produce public hearing materials
• To produce executive summaries
• To organize dissemination activities at the partner universities
• To organize an international conference

The following deliverables are produced:

Launching EUniAM project, press release, November, 2012 (pdf).

Project booklet (pdf).

Project website and intranet (www.euniam.aau.dk, http://euniam-moodle.samf.aau.dk/).

AAU will help developing university autonomy in Moldova. Uglen, AAU newspaper, Nr. 1-2013 (pdf, in Danish).

Inter-university multimedia centres (pdf).

Mass-media articles

Public hearing material

Executive summaries

Press-conferences

Conference proceedings

Edited book

Turcan, R. V., Reilly, J., Bugaian, L. (2015). (Re)Discovering University Autonomy: The Global Market Paradox of Stakeholder and Educational Values in Higher Education. Palgrave Macmillan: New York.

Book flyer

Link to the publisher site

Link to Amazon site

The objective of this work package is to ensure each project deliverable is efficiently conveyed to respective target audience. The leader of this work package is Prof. Larisa Bugaian, Moldovan Coordinator.

A number of means are employed for this purpose, such as workshops, round tables, and public hearings.

At the same time, permanent support structures are developed to promote and implement the changes, such as Task Force and Task Force Mission teams attached to the Council of Rectors.

The following key activities are designed:

• To organize roundtables at partner universities concluding WP2 activities
• To organize joint roundtable concluding WP2 activities
• To organize roundtables at the partner universities concluding WP3 activities
• To organize roundtables at the partner universities concluding WP4 activities
• To organize public hearing on the legislative proposals concluding WP4 activities
• To participate in meetings and public hearings organized by Task Force and parliamentary committees
• To engage in activities ensuring sustainability of the strategy

The following deliverables are produced:

WP2 consultations on assessment results and on country report at local and national levels

Round tables presenting the results of the analysis of the current situation of university autonomy in Moldova. September 25, 2013, Republic of Moldova:

• An event agenda (pdf)
• Situation analysis of the organizational autonomy (pdf)
• Situation analysis of financial autonomy (pdf)
• Situation analysis of human resources autonomy (pdf)
• Situation analysis of academic autonomy (pdf)

WP3 consultations on benchmarking at the local and national levels

Series of workshop-seminars were organized during which the EUniAM team presented a comparative analysis of university institutional autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland, and Sweden. The events took place at Technical University of Moldova (in Chisinau), at Cahul State University (located in Cahul, South region) and at Balti State University (located in Balti, North region).

• An event agenda (pdf)
• A benchmark analysis of organizational autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland, and Sweden (pdf)
• A benchmark analysis of financial autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland, and Sweden (pdf)
• A benchmark analysis of human resource autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland, and Sweden (pdf)
• A benchmark analysis of academic autonomy in Denmark, Lithuania, Romania, Scotland, and Sweden (pdf)

WP4 consultations on legislative proposals at local and national levels

April 2015: The EUniAM team together with its external expert, John Reilly had a meeting with the Minister of Education and her team. The EUniAM project coordinator and national project coordinator had series of meetings with the rectors of State University, Technical University, Academy of Economic Studies, Balti State University and Cahul State University. During these meetings the draft legislative proposals were presented and discussed, and respective feedback was taken into consideration in the final draft of the legislative proposals.

May 2015: The EUniAM team organized series of public debates in Chisinau, Cahul and Balti. During these public debates the draft legislative proposals were presented and discussed, and respective feedback was taken into consideration in the final draft of the legislative proposals.

June-September 2015: The final draft of Legislative Proposals were uploaded on the project website and respective info and links were available on the project Facebook website for interested stakeholders to comment and provide feedback.

Permanent support structures for implementation of the changes

September 9, 2015: One-day conference on "Sustainability Actions to Support Restructuring, Rationalization, and Modernization of Higher Education in Moldova". Over 50 colleagues - local and international - took part in the mini-conference.

Highlights from the mini-conference as well as full video account of the event is available on-line on the project Facebook website.

Presentations from the mini-conference, by Romeo V. Turcan and John Reilly.

September 11, 2015: Ministry of Education sent a letter to all Rectors of Public Universities seeking their views and suggestions on Rationalization proposals and Financial Autonomy proposals from the EUniAM draft legislative proposals. The letter could be found here.

September 21-23, 2015: Sustainability action visit was organized to one of the project partners, University of Gloucestershire.

• The list of participants could be accessed here.
• Agenda of the visit could be accessed here.
• Presentations could be accessed here.
• Learning reflections could be accessed here (in romanian).

Financial and organizational framework for further improvement and experience exchange

Meeting at the World Bank (Chisinau) to explore possible venues to support financially and technically the restructuring, rationalization, and modernization of Higher Education sector of Moldova.

World Bank has envisaged for 2016 additional earmarked funding of around 15 million dollars to further promote reforms in the (higher) education sector.

Meetings notes could be accessed here.

The objective of this work package is to ensure proper management of the project. The Project Coordinator has general management and coordination responsibilities of the project, as well as financial management responsibilities. The Moldovan Coordinator is responsible for managing and coordinating the project nationally. Project coordination meetings are organized once per year.

The following key activities are designed:

• To conduct project coordination meetings
• To conduct project concluding meeting

The following deliverables are produced:

Progress report to the Agency

The intermediate report to the Agency was submitted on November 12, 2013. The feedback from the Agency was received on Dec 17, 2013. The recommendations from the Agency were implemented by July 2014. The intermediate report is available on the project intranet.

Progress reports to the Steering Committee and project partners

The project management team prepared and presented progress reports to the Steering Committee and the project partners and key stakeholders in November 2013 and Ocotber 2014. The reports are available on the project intranet.

Report on the implementation of the project (Oct. 2012 - Aug. 2014)

The summary of all key activities undertaken during this period of the project may be found here.

Report on the implementation of the project (Sep. 2014 - Oct. 2015)

The summary of all key activities undertaken during this period of the project may be found here.

Final reports

Due in October/November 2015.