Department of External Relations and European Integration after 25 years of activity: An overview of the evolution of international cooperation of ”Nicolae Testemitanu” University

Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova marks, in 2024, a quarter of a century of activity of the Department of External Relations and European Integration (DEREI) - a fundamental component for increasing institutional visibility at the international level. Created in 1999, DEREI has evolved continuously, contributing essentially to the opening of Nicolae Testemitanu University to new partnerships and international projects, supporting the transformation of the University into a center of educational excellence and medical research.

The first steps towards internationalization

Interuniversity collaboration and the internationalization of education and research have become strategic priorities for Nicolae Testemitanu University since 1995, and their regulation began in 1999 with the decision of the University Senate to create two sections: the Section for Foreign Students and the Section for International Relations. This event constituted the official debut of a new institutional direction for the development of external relations, as head of the section being appointed University Professor Victor Vovc (1999-2006), Habilitated Doctor of Medical Sciences, later followed by Professor Vitalie Lisnic (2006-2010), both having a significant contribution in the mentioned area. Today, even if professors Victor Vovc and Vitalie Lisnic are no longer part of the DEREI team, they continue to promote cooperation relations at the international level by maintaining professional connections, but also friendship ties with famous personalities and world-renowned institutions in the medical field from other countries. The two professors continue to develop international projects and attract investment funds for the benefit of Nicolae Testemitanu University.

Strengthening relations and internationalizing the educational process (2000-2010)

During this period, the University made significant progress in the development of international relations, collaboration agreements were signed with universities and higher education institutions from Romania (Bucharest, Iasi, Cluj-Napoca, Timisoara), Ukraine, Belarus, the Russian Federation, the states of the Union European, the USA and Canada. Inclusive development directions aimed at improving the educational and research process were supported by efficient management and a dedicated academic team.

The internationalization of medical education has been a continuous priority, and the University has managed to attract partners from various fields, promoting the mobility of students and teaching staff, as well as the development of new educational programs that comply with international standards. Under the leadership of Rector Ion Ababii, the University developed and implemented the Development Strategy of Nicolae Testemitanu University for the period 2011-2020, supported by the Ministry of Health and approved by the Government of the Republic of Moldova - a document that also included establishing international collaborations.

Responsible for the internationalization process and international project management

An important role in the development of international cooperation was played by the vice-rectors for international relations: Valeriu Chicu (2000-2013), Mihail Gavriliuc (2013-2019) and Eugen Gutu (2018-2019). In 2012, in accordance with the decision of the University Senate, the International Relations Section was reorganized into the Department of External Relations and European Integration, headed by Rodica Gramma (2012-2017).

The main mission of DEREI is to increase the degree of internationalization and institutional modernization by participating in the elaboration, updating and implementation of the Development Strategy of Nicolae Testemitanu University.

Since 2017, the DEREI team has been led by Evelina Gherghelegiu, who continues the processes of identifying international partners, initiating new collaborations and developing institutional projects. The mission of DEREI is to implement and achieve the strategic objectives of the University in the field of internationalization and European programs, collaborating with universities, companies, associations, NGOs and external institutions. The department ensures communication with foreign partners, embassies and diplomatic missions, and organizes protocol activities for various events and the reception of international delegations.

The department prepares reports and essential documents for international activities, manages academic mobility, exchange of experience and the Erasmus+ program, disseminates information on scholarships and supports their promotion. DEREI also develops and manages institutional projects, verifies and prepares confirmation documents for graduate studies at the request of international institutions.

Academic mobility programs - an essential component of DEREI’s activity - are carried out under Erasmus+, CEEPUS, AUF, FOSFOM, Fulbright, Open World Program or based on collaboration agreements. They represent a necessity from the perspective of current globalization, promoting adherence at the international level and broadening  the scientific horizon. Along with the expansion of international partnerships, the number of incoming and outgoing mobilities also increased, which raises the degree of internationalization of Nicolae Testemitanu University. Mainly, the University carries out exchange of experience in mobility area with Romania, China, Norway, France, Belgium, Slovakia, Lithuania, Spain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ukraine, Italy, Greece, Poland, Brazil, the USA, Sweden, etc.

Progress – through international projects

Over the years, DEREI has contributed to the initiation and development of an impressive number of international projects, which have brought important benefits to the University's educational and research infrastructure.

From 2006 until now, the number of projects implemented by our university has grown considerably. These projects are useful for institution’s planning to implement priority activities in the areas of modernization of the training process, university management and institutional development.

Thanks to the institutional projects financed by the European Commission, Nicolae Testemitanu University has become attractive to other donors/investors. Among the most important projects we would like to list:

• The interdisciplinary approach and the appropriate attitude towards the aging process in the Republic of Moldova - implemented with the financial support of the Netherlands (2011-2012);

• Improving the language skills of students and residents – with the support of Norway (2012);

• Developing the curriculum and procuring the necessary equipment for the training of specialists in the field of maternal and child medical emergency at the University Center for Simulation in Medical Training – implemented with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (2013-2015);

• Moldovan-Estonian cooperation in the field of sports medicine for the promotion of European standards in medical education - supported by the University of Tartu, Estonia (2013-2015);

• CHRONEX-RD – The Eastern European network for excellence in research and development in the field of chronic diseases aimed at economic development both by reducing the impact of chronic diseases and by integrating resources in the health field (2013-2015);

• TEMPUS projects, which modernized the higher education system in the Republic of Moldova (2013-2016);

Expanding international collaboration network and recent achievements (2019-present);

Since 2019, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova is led by Rector Emil Ceban, University Professor, Habilitated Doctor of Medical Sciences, who continues the beautiful traditions of the medical school and is constantly promoting radical changes in the way of organizing higher medical education, research and medical practice. The current curricular reform, which is being carried out, aims to update study programs, diversify the educational offer by launching new bachelor's and master's study programs, the application of the European system of transferable academic credits, the implementation of modern information technologies, advanced forms and methods of teaching-learning-evaluation.

In 2019, the University was institutionally accredited according to the standards of the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME). At the same time, the integrated higher education programs in Medicine, Stomatology and Pharmacy were accredited, in 2022, in accordance with WFME standards for a period of 5 years. In 2021, the Strategic Development Plan of Nicolae Testemitanu University was approved for the period 2021-2030, which also includes the strategic field of Internationalization.

DEREI continues to strengthen the University's collaborative relationships with organizations and companies in India, Turkey and Israel. More than 120 cooperation agreements were concluded, reviewed and reconfirmed with medical faculties and universities in Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Greece, Slovakia, Switzerland, Poland, the Netherlands, China, the USA, Norway, Canada, Sweden, Italy, Russian Federation, etc. The objectives of international cooperation agreements, memoranda, conventions and protocols include:

• bilateral exchange of teachers for teaching courses in different specialties in the field of fundamental and clinical medicine;

• exchange of experience and best practices regarding the improvement of study plans and analytical programs;

• development and editing of compendiums, manuals, practical guides, etc.;

• organizing internships for teaching staff in fundamental and clinical medical specialties;

• development of student mobility in accordance with inter-university cooperation agreements;

• internships for university and postgraduate studies (in Belgium, France, Germany, USA, etc.);

• carrying out scientific research under joint supervision etc.

From 2019 until now, DEREI has continued to expand international cooperation networks by implementing more than 25 international projects, supported by the European Commission and partner/donor organizations. Thus, in order to increase the efficiency, quality and excellence of the scientific management and open science of the universities of Moldova and Armenia, the project "Consolidation of the management capacities of research and Open Science of higher education institutions of the Republic of Moldova and Armenia", MINERVA, was implemented, in 2019-2022.

In order to strengthen governance, strategic planning and management, and to improve the quality of medical education according to international requirements, the projects "Leadership and management of higher education in Moldova" - MHELM (2019-2022) and "Establishment of review tools and objectives for medical education" -SPRING (2019-2022) were implemented.

Other large-scale projects are: "Infrastructure for research and management of medical services in the field of obesity and diabetes" - OBDIA-NET (2021-2023); "iCREATE-Increasing research capacities in Eastern Europe", funded by the US National Institutes of Health and Romania's Babes-Bolyai University (2023-2027); "Consolidation of medical education in surgical urology and nephrology through simulation", financed by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova within the Government of Romania, 2024; "American Medical Speaker Program", funded by the US Government, 2024-2028; "Strengthening education through research in medicine within Nicolae Testemitanu University/ FORCE_Med which resides in the University's desideratum included in the Strategic Development Plan of the University for the period 2021-2030 - the implementation of the concept of education through research; "Modernization and strengthening of education through research in pharmacy and medicine within Nicolae Testemitanu University/FORCE_Farm. The given sub-project, in the amount of 2 million euros, is included in the second round of the call for sub-projects under Moldova Higher Education Project, implemented by the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova and financed by the Bank World, in the period 2024-2025; "Implementation Science Study to investigate community-based mental health interventions for high-risk communities in low and middle income countries"/HEARD, 2024, financed by USAID; "Modernization and digital transformation for International Relations Offices in HEIs"/ IROconnect, 2024-2026.

Thus, internationalization has become a strategic component of university activity, not only for the modernization of the education process, but also for the development of research and the improvement of the professional skills of graduates, contributing to the training of medical personnel in the Republic of Moldova according to international standards.

In order to strengthen and capitalize on its capacities in the field of internationalization, the Department of External Relations and European Integration regularly publishes articles in international journals. These studies show the priorities, achievements, challenges and opportunities of the internationalization process at Nicolae Testemitanu University. Through a complex approach, DEREI analyzes how the University manages and promotes the international dimension of medical and pharmaceutical education and research, highlighting the success and challenges it has faced, as well as future directions for development. In 2020, University Professor Eugen Gutu and Evelina Gherghelegiu published the article Internationalization at Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy: Priorities, Achievements, Constraints, Development Direction, in the scientific-methodological magazine Непрерывное медицинское образование и наука (https://cmedas.elpub.ru/jour/issue/viewIssue/14/13), edited by the Ural State Medical University (Russia), in which they describe the internationalization of higher education – a deliberate process also initiated by the institutions of higher medical education.

A recent example is the study Internationalization at Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy: Priorities, Achievements, Constraints, Development Direction, published in 2024 by the DEREI team in the "Journal of Medical and Health Sciences Education for Eastern Europe and Central Asia" (MEDH-EECA), edited by the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences in Kaunas. The study focused on the DEREI activity between 2019-2023,  describing the significant priorities and achievements, as well as the obstacles encountered in the international cooperation. The research highlights the importance of international partnerships and strategies for increasing visibility and promoting the University's impact globally.

In the context of the globalization of education, the University has become a key actor in the development and implementation of projects that support medical education and research in accordance with international standards. Thanks to the perseverance and professionalism of the DEREI team, the University is constantly strengthening its prestige at the international level, opening new opportunities for collaboration, academic improvement and research in the medical field. These achievements reflect the commitment of Nicolae Testemitanu University to offer a high-quality education and to contribute to the development of the healthcare system in the Republic of Moldova by integrating the best international practices.

For 25 years, the Department of External Relations and European Integration has provided support to the University in achieving the objectives of quality assurance in education, research and clinical activity, by strengthening international relations, implementing innovative projects, carrying out academic mobility, which contributes to obtaining achievements and excellence in all fields of activity, increasing institutional visibility in university rankings at national and international level.