Moldovan-Portuguese inter-university cooperation partnership

The Republic of Moldova and Portugal will create collaborative relationships in the higher education area. This will be possible due to the signing of the Letter of Intent for Educational Cooperation between the Council of Rectors of the Republic of Moldova (CRRM) and the Council of Rectors of Portuguese Universities (CRPU).

The document was signed on October 30, 2023, at the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova, by the president of CRRM, Professor Emil Ceban, rector of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and by professor António Sousa Pereira, president of CRPU, rector of the University of Porto, Portugal. The signing of the letter of intent took place during the visit to our country by the President of the Portuguese Republic Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, at the invitation of President Maia Sandu.

The objectives of the Letter of Intent are to promote cultural, educational, and academic exchanges, collaboration, and technical exchange between the signatory educational partners. Collaborative relationships will focus on inter-university mobility of academic, technical, and administrative staff; exchange of educational and research materials, publications, and academic information; joint research and publications; conducting conferences, seminars, or other academic meetings; organization of technical or administrative training programs; development and delivery of courses and programs, etc. 

Rector Emil Ceban mentioned that this collaboration would outline an academic and management framework between the two signatory parties, aimed at promoting the internationalization of higher education in the Republic of Moldova.

As a result of signing the Letter of Intent, on the same day, Professor António Sousa Pereira visited Nicolae Testemitanu University to meet with the administrative team. During the dialogue, the counterparts launched invitations regarding mutual visits for the purpose of information and documentation, as well as establishing aspects of bilateral cooperation, and later concluding a collaboration agreement between universities in the field of education and research, etc.

The Portuguese guest expressed his openness to initiate a sustainable and fruitful partnership with Nicolae Testemitanu University. In this context, Professor António Sousa Pereira gave a presentation on the University of Porto – a higher education and scientific research institution with more than 100 years of history – a leading educational establishment in Portugal, recognized worldwide. It is considered the best Portuguese university and one of the top 100 European institutions according to the most important higher education rankings. The University of Porto has 14 faculties and offers study programs in the fields of: architecture, arts and humanities, engineering and technology, exact sciences, natural sciences, health sciences, social sciences, sports, and law. Over 32 thousand young people study here. With 48 research units and a highly qualified scientific community, the University of Porto is one of the largest scientific producers in Portugal, contributing almost 25% of the entire national scientific output.

The program of Rector António Sousa Pereira's visit to Nicolae Testemitanu University also included a visit to the University Center for Simulation in Medical Training, where modern training methodologies and testing of practical skills are implemented under undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education programs for medical personnel by applying the high-fidelity simulation method and that of the standardized patient, as well as the use of simulators and educational software for the development of basic practical skills.