Open science, open innovation, and openness to the world are set as one of the main research and innovation strategies in the European Research Area (ARA). Open science provides an effective framework for the enhancement of research transparency, dissemination, collaborations, and accountability. The academic community in Moldova and Armenia have recognized the importance and advantages of open science principles which is manifested through the numerous initiatives undertaken by the government bodies, faculties, libraries, NGOs, and journal publishers. However, in the absence of coordination, compromise on standards, and a solid legislative support, these initiatives seem isolated and ineffective from the global point of view. The main aim of the MINERVA is to develop conditions for the implementation of the core principles of Open Science at universities in Moldova and Armenia. The Project specific objective is threefold:1. To advance national and institutional guidelines, policies, and incentives related to the open science in Moldova and Armenia, 2. To establish digital repositories at all project`s partner HEIs in Moldova and Armenia and to foster their infrastructural development and interoperability, and 3. To build human research capacities in order to ensure the sustainable implementation of open science principles and enhance the social inclusiveness and accountability of publicly-funded research.MINERVA project plans to improve institutional HR policies and practices through a series of bylaw changes that will prepare researchers for the labour market and society by facilitating their career development. Further, it will enhance their level of competences through a series of practical trainings in transversal and transferable skills. Thus it will harmonize the management of university research potentials and foster regional cooperation in the Eastern Partnership Countries converging with EU developments in higher education sector.

The COMPASS project addresses the process of integration of an inclusive and responsive University Lifelong Learning (ULLL) as the one that requires immediate national and institutional response and joint action in in Moldova. Enabling national HE bodies and HEIs to strategically manage integrated LLL in the provision of higher education are regarded to be the project’s overall objective and the main underpinning of the Moldovan’s accountable and complementary role in EHEA.The target groups: representatives of the Ministries of Higher Education; Bologna promoters at national level; senior managers of universities, directors of ULLL, ULLL operational staff. The project's main outcomes:1. Creating and implementing national legislative that has been lacking to date in Moldova: National LLL Roadmap; Regulation for validation of prior learning, including formal and informal (VPL); Regulation on application of the existing ECTS tools and procedures to LLL; etc.).2. Developing and implementing effective university strategies on integrated LLL along with coherent institutional measures capable of lifelong guidance and VPL, improving institutional capacities for increasing widening participation in LLL.The impact of this project on the national HE bodies and Bologna follow-up group (BFUG) in Moldova and Belarus will be enable them to review more effectively the progress on topics they have identified; to develop future strategies and to formulate targets for ULLL in the next phase of the HE reforms.At institutional level, universities will be more effective in judging and improving their own performance in the use of the Bologna tools (flexibility, ECTS, VPL). In addition, they will learn from case studies of best EU practices and details of institutions that have successfully innovated in this field and be better able to create new pilot actions on national, regional and European levels.

The ELEVATE project addresses the process of internationalisation of Moldovan higher education as the one that requires immediate national and institutional response and joint action. Enabling national HE bodies and HEIs to strategically manage comprehensive internationalisation in the provision of education, research, mobility and services are regarded to be the project’s overall objective and the main underpinning of Moldova’s accountable and complementary role in EHEA and ERA.The project's key target groups are Moldovan academics, researchers, students and administrators who are participating or wish to participate in international collaboration. The qualitative leap in the process of internationalisation they will benefit from stems from the project's main outcomes: 1. Creating and implementing national legislative that has been lacking to date: Accreditation Standards for Joint and Double degrees, National Strategy of Internationalisation of Higher Education and Research and National Strategy of Academic Mobility and Recognition of Degrees (in line with the National strategy Education 2020). 2. Developing and implementing effective university strategies on comprehensive internationalisation & academic mobility along with coherent institutional measures capable of steering internationalisation, improving institutional capacities for the growing participation in international projects.Through partnering with a large Joint venture company in Moldova, the ELEVATE addresses the link between employability and internationalisation, so as to raise public awareness of competences valued in the domestic and global labour markets. The project will transfer tailor-made know-how, best practices and expertise from the EU partners to app. 300 members of the Moldovan HE community (authorities, academics, students and staff) during the study visits and trainings and a much wider array of HE stakeholders during workshops and forums.