Moldova to establish National Erasmus+ Agency; EU provides 5 million euros in support for candidate countries

The Education and Research Ministry (MEC) has launched the process of establishing the future National Erasmus+ Agency in Moldova, an important step toward full association with the European academic mobility programme. The initiative is supported by the European Union, which has allocated 5 million euros to back candidate countries seeking to become associated states to the Erasmus+ programme.

The announcement was made after the second High-Level Dialogue between Moldova and the European Union on employment, skills, education, social policies and children's rights took place in Brussels today.

The meeting was held under the auspices of the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills, Quality Jobs and Training Roxana Minzatu. Attending the event was Education and Research Minister Dan Perciun and Labour and Social Protection Minister Natalia Plugaru.

According to the MEC, the dialogue focused on reforms that have a direct impact on citizens’ lives – from education and employment to social protection, inclusion and equal opportunities. The sides also assessed the progress made by Moldova in aligning with European Union standards in the fields of education, social policy and employment, in the context of the EU accession process.

European Commission’s Executive Vice-President Roxana Minzatu reiterated the European Union’s support for Moldova, including in the process of associating with the Erasmus+ programme. In this context, the EU has allocated 5 million euros to support candidate countries aspiring to become associated states to the programme, and the MEC has launched the process of establishing the future National Erasmus+ Agency in Moldova.

Education and Research Minister Dan Perciun said that Moldova’s strategic priority stayed the rapid advancement of the EU accession process and the opening of negotiations for all clusters, based on the substantial progress achieved and the principle of merit.

“MEC pays particular attention to implementing the commitments related to Chapter 25 – Science and Research and Chapter 26 – Education and Culture. The progress achieved gives us confidence that, by the end of the year, we will be able to open and close negotiations on these two chapters,” said Dan Perciun.

In his speech, the minister also highlighted the main priorities of the sector: ensuring equitable access to inclusive and quality education for each child, enhancing the efficiency of public investments in education, promoting academic integrity, modernizing vocational and technical education and strengthening research and innovation.

Other initiatives discussed included the launch of a project to strengthen the education system for children from vulnerable groups, as well as the continued support for Moldova’s full association with the Erasmus+ Programme.

The participants also reviewed the results achieved since the first edition of the High-Level Dialogue, held in Chisinau in June 2025. Among the key achievements, there is the accession of nine centres of excellence of Moldova to the European Alliance for Apprenticeships, which strengthens cooperation in vocational and technical education and contributes to aligning vocational training with European Union standards.

Erasmus+ is a European Union programme that supports mobility and cooperation in the fields of education, training, youth and sport in the participating countries. It offers opportunities for students, pupils, young people and staff in these fields to study, train or take part in projects abroad, with a strong focus on social inclusion, the digital and green transitions, as well as young people’s participation in democratic life.

For the 2021–2027 period, the programme has a budget of 26.2 billion euros, complemented by 2.2 billion euros from additional EU instruments, in order to give more than 10 million people the opportunity to study, train and gain experience abroad.