On October 22, 2026, an online focus group was held to evaluate the impact of international development cooperation projects funded by ESTDEV in the Republic of Moldova. Representatives of universities participating in the "Strengthening Moldova's Europeanization through Innovative Teaching Methods" (BEst4ME) project, including faculty involved in implementing project activities, participated in the meeting. Civitta is evaluating the project's results and long-term impact.
The BEst4ME project was supported by the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV), and its activities were carried out from June 2023 to May 2024. The project was coordinated by the Johan Skytte Institute for Political Studies at the University of Tartu (Estonia), and by the Moldova State University in the Republic of Moldova.
The "Strengthening Moldova's Europeanization through Innovative Teaching Methods" (Best4ME) project aims to consolidate innovative teaching methods in the fields of European studies and the digitalization of higher education, as well as to disseminate them within the teaching and learning community of Moldova State University and, more broadly, within Moldovan higher education institutions.
Best4ME aims to develop research expertise and new teaching methods, engage local faculty and administrators, and equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge for future careers in organizations responsible for implementing social reforms crucial to Moldova's European integration (government agencies, administrative structures, and NGOs). Natalia Shchukina, Doctor Hab. in Law , Associate Professor of the Department of Private Law at the Faculty of Law, participated in the meeting. She, along with other professors and staff members from Comrat State University, has participated in trainings and other Best4ME events and shared her experience in implementing the knowledge gained within the project into teaching practices at the university. During the discussion, the meeting participants also shared the results of their participation in the project, examined the relevance of the activities and their impact on faculty development, curriculum renewal, and the implementation of innovative teaching methods. Particular attention was paid to the results of the training course "Teaching Methods for EU Research and Innovative Digital Approaches," held in August 2023, as well as issues of dissertation research coordination and improvement of the educational process.
Participants also discussed the project's impact on faculty and students, institutional changes at universities, the sustainability of the achieved results, and opportunities for further dissemination of the lessons learned.
