The fifth joint meeting between Moldovan and EU representatives on research and innovation was co-chaired by Adriana Cazacu, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Research, and Mina Stareva, Deputy Head of Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD).
Moldova has been associated with the Horizon Europe programme since 2021. This status allows Moldovan research organisations to participate in the programme on the same terms as organisations from EU Member States.
The meeting participants discussed the implementation of the National Programme for Research and Innovation for 2024–2027, as well as progress on Chapter 25 of the EU accession negotiations, ‘Science and Research’.
Particular attention was paid to the development of research infrastructure, cooperation between scientific organisations and the business sector, the activities of the Moldovan Office for Science and Technology (MOST), the Smart Moldova programme, and opportunities for collaboration with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
“For a researcher from the Republic of Moldova, Horizon Europe means the opportunity to work alongside European teams, gain access to resources and research infrastructure, and turn a good idea into a solution that benefits people,” noted Adriana Cazaciu.
€9.25 million allocated to research
Over the past year, the Ministry of Education and Research has focused on developing scientific infrastructure, supporting researchers and increasing Moldova’s participation in Horizon Europe.
As part of the ‘Higher Education in Moldova’ project, supported by the World Bank, 11 projects were selected for funding, totalling €9.25 million.
In addition, PhD student stipends and the remuneration of experts involved in evaluation and assessment work have been increased. The Ministry has also launched an initiative to attract young people to scientific careers.
The Horizon Europe National Office at the National Agency for Research and Development supports Moldovan organisations in securing European funding: it provides information on calls for proposals, helps to find partners and offers advice on preparing project applications.
The meeting also highlighted opportunities offered by the Widening and Marie Skłodowska-Curie programmes, the European Innovation Council and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
Horizon Europe after 2027
The parties also discussed the prospects for European funding for research and innovation following the end of the current programming period.
The European Commission has proposed a new Horizon Europe programme for 2028–2034 with a proposed budget of €175 billion. The programme’s parameters are yet to be negotiated at the level of the EU institutions.
For Moldova, continued participation in the European programme is important not only for scientific institutions but also for the development of technology projects, cooperation between the research sector and industry, and attracting international partners.
This story was translated with the assistance of artificial intelligence.The translation was also reviewed by the Logos Press editorial team.
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