UPGRADE - "Improved tracking of graduate employment opportunities in Moldova"

Erasmus+ Program 2021-2027

KA2 - Collaboration for innovation and sharing of best practices

Capacity building in higher education

Project number: 101129166

Title: "Consolidation of monitoring of graduates' employability in Moldova".

Project period: 11.01.2023 - 31.10.2026

Web page: https://upgrade-project.ase.md/

One of the important indicators characterizing the quality of higher education (HE) educational programs is the demand for graduates on the labor market, which can be monitored by analyzing their employability. The Moldovan authorities have formulated the monitoring of graduate employability as an urgent priority for the next period.

The UPGRADE project is a bottom-up approach, starting with graduates and universities, with the aim of modernizing and developing the higher education sector in society, strengthening the relationship between universities, decision-makers and businesses and, in turn, improving the quality of higher education.

The main objective of the UPGRADE project is to strengthen the monitoring of the employability of graduates of Moldovan higher education institutions. The UPGRADE project envisages the development of the first pilot study on graduate employability and the creation of the first report on graduate employability.

The experience of EU partners will be shared and the practices of other EU countries will be studied in order to develop a pilot study on employability that will be in line with EU standards. The results of the report will be uploaded to a national online portal to monitor graduate employability. The UPGRADE project will strengthen the capacity of higher education institutions to track their graduates.

The specific objectives are:

OB 1: To contribute to monitoring the employability of IÎS graduates and building a national consensus in Moldova among key stakeholders;

ОB 2: To improve and promote the legislative and regulatory framework related to the employment of IÎS graduates at national and institutional level in Moldova;

OB 3: Strengthen the human resource capacity of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Moldova and IIS Moldova to monitor the employability of graduates;

OB 4: To strengthen the capacity of IOS staff from the Republic of Moldova to design and conduct research on graduate employability, provide effective career guidance services and facilitate the professional insertion of students and graduates into the labor market.

Expected Outcomes:

Survey of the country on graduate employment;

Pilot study on graduate employment tracking;

National regulation of monitoring of graduate employability;

Methodological guidance on the establishment and operation of university career guidance and career counseling centers;

National portal for monitoring graduates;

Regulations on university career guidance;

Report on employment of graduates of higher education institutions.

The total budget of the project is 962 909 EUR.

Partners:

Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM) - project coordinator

State University of Moldova (SUM)

Chisinau State Pedagogical University "Ion Creanga" (UPSC)

Balti State University "Aleku Russo" (USARB)

State University "Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu" from Cahul (USC)

Comrat State University (CDU)

Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Moldova (MICRM)

European Institute for Reform Initiatives and Education "Aspire" (ASPIRE)

University of Valencia (UF), Spain

Technical University of Deggendorf (DIT), Germany

"December 1, 1918." University of Alba Iulia (UAB), Romania.

UPGRADE Project Management Team:

Institutional coordinator of the project: Assoc. prof., PhD Tatiana Racovcena.

Financial Manager of the project: Assoc. prof., PhD Nadezhda Ianioglo.