These resources are aimed at ensuring the stability and development of universities. Of this amount, more than 198 million lei represents compensatory funding for achievements, provided to support the high level of work of universities.
The evaluation of the universities’ performance was based on 17 indicators presented in four groups concerning the quality of teaching, research, internationalization and social orientation. Among these indicators are the number of scientific supervisors of doctoral theses, the number of young teachers, graduate employment, research and innovation, internationalization of teaching, etc.
According to the results of data evaluation, the Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (USMF) is ranked first, followed by the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) and the State University of Moldova (USM).
The highest number of academic supervisors of doctoral students in the process of training, among the total number of full-time faculty and scientific-pedagogical staff, is observed at USMF – 13%. In USM, ASEM, UPSC this indicator is 12% each, and in USARB – 11%.
The institutions with the youngest teaching and scientific-pedagogical staff are USMF and UTM, their share is 25% of the total number of full-time teaching and scientific-pedagogical staff.
At the same time, USMF (69%) has the highest number of students enrolled for the 2025-2026 academic year – holders of baccalaureate degrees with a grade of “8.0” or higher – among the total number of candidates enrolled with a baccalaureate degree, followed by AMTAP (37%), UTM (30%), USM (28%), and ASEM (27%).
In terms of graduate employment, USMF (67%), UPSC (65%), AMTAP (62%) and USARB (60%) have the highest rates of entering the labor market.
UTM is the leader in academic mobility, and USMF leads in the number of international students and faculty with English and French language certificates (levels B2-C2). Consolidation of internationalization of higher education is supported by USM, ASEM, UTM, USMF and UPSC, including through the organization and continuous development of study programs in English and French for both local and international students.
In addition to budgetary support, the universities invested their own funds last year to modernize their dormitories. USMF allocated about 11 million lei for this purpose, followed by UTM with 3.6 million lei and UPSC with 3.3 million lei. UTM, USM and UPSC also allocated the largest amounts from their own revenues for nominal scholarships and cash prizes for the most active students.
Besides compensatory funding for academic performance, universities will also receive funds under two other components: standard funding and supplementary funding. The standard one, amounting to more than 827 million lei, is focused on the educational process itself, with an allocation of 19.9 thousand lei per student, calculated on the basis of adjustment coefficients (academic cycle, form of education, language of instruction and curriculum). Additional financing with a budget of over 77 million lei is aimed at improving the quality of life of students, namely: renovation of dormitories, modernization of the material and technical base, equipping with computers/software/equipment, as well as supporting cultural and sporting events.
In the field of research and innovation, USMF and UTM remain leaders with the highest number of articles in international databases (Web of Science/Scopus) and the largest amount of funds attracted for research from national and international projects, as well as from the Horizon Europe research program.
At the same time, only UTM and ASEM have monographs published by prestigious, internationally recognized publishing houses.
