On February 16–17, 2026, the 3rd Experts’ Workshop was held within the Erasmus+ UPGRADE – Enhancing Graduates’ Employability Tracking in Moldova project (Ref. No. 101129166). The event was hosted by the Moldova State University (MSU), a partner institution within the project, and took place in physical format in Chișinău. The workshop, dedicated to the theme “Strengthening the Employability of Graduates through Monitoring, Career Guidance and Institutional Cooperation,” served as a strategic platform for dialogue and analysis aimed at developing integrated mechanisms for graduate employability monitoring and reinforcing interinstitutional cooperation at national and European levels.
The event was of major importance both for the project partners and for society as a whole, promoting an integrated system for tracking graduates’ career paths and strengthening career guidance services. The workshop brought together all project partners: Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (ASEM) – project coordinator, Moldova State University (MSU), Ion Creangă State Pedagogical University of Chișinău (UPSC), Alecu Russo State University of Bălți (USARB), “Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” State University of Cahul (USC), Comrat State University (KDU), Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova (MECRM), European Institute for Initiatives, Reforms and Education “ASPIRE” (ASPIRE), University of Valencia (UV), Spain, Deggendorf Institute of Technology (DIT), Germany, and “1 Decembrie 1918” University of Alba Iulia (UAB), Romania. The participation of all partner institutions demonstrated a shared commitment to building a coherent and sustainable national framework for graduate employability monitoring.
The workshop was officially opened by Olesea Sîrbu, UPGRADE Grant Coordinator and Vice-Rector for International Relations and European Projects at ASEM, Igor Șarov, Rector of Moldova State University, and Adriana Cazacu, State Secretary for Research and Innovation at the Ministry of Education and Research. Their messages emphasized the strategic relevance of the UPGRADE project for the modernization of higher education, the need to align qualifications with labor market requirements, and the importance of institutional cooperation in the context of European integration.
The first day focused on monitoring the employability of higher education graduates and analyzing the pilot implementation of the national survey conducted by the six Moldovan higher education institutions involved in the project. Discussions also addressed the institutional framework adopted through the strengthening of Career Guidance Centers and the evaluation of their effectiveness. Participants reviewed progress achieved in developing strategic approaches to graduate tracking and in upgrading support mechanisms for career services.
The second day included sessions dedicated to strengthening multi-stakeholder dialogue involving employers, students, and academic staff, adapting professional integration strategies in the context of the European Union accession process, and organizing a Graduate Job Fair. Discussions highlighted the modernization of professional training methods, the alignment of qualifications with labor market needs, and the development of sustainable partnerships between universities and employers. The workshop provided an applied framework for the exchange of best practices and the formulation of strategic recommendations at both institutional and national levels.
In conclusion, the event underlined the institutional and national significance of the UPGRADE project, reinforcing the joint commitment to developing an efficient and sustainable system for monitoring graduates’ employability in the Republic of Moldova.
For more details, please consult the PROGRAMUPGRADE_EW3_16-17_Feb_2026_AGENDA_compressed.pdf of the event.