How to learn new skills in Moldova

Entrepreneurship

EU4Business

If you are setting up or have a small business, the EU4Business initiative offers a wide range of advice and consultancy services to help you take the next step in developing your business. Visit the EU4Business page for full details of projects that you can apply to, as well as examples of successful beneficiaries. The programme also offers loans and grants for small businesses.

Social Entrepreneurship

The EU-funded Collaborate for Impact project aims to develop social entrepreneurship and social investment in the Eastern Partnership countries. In Moldova, it partners with Ecovisio to increase awareness and collaboration among social enterprises and civil society organisations and provide access to non-financial resources, education and mentoring programmes. Check out the Ecovisio website and Facebook page for news and opportunities, as well as other EU-funded resources for social entrepreneurship developed by Ecovisio. Visit the Collaborate for Impact website for success stories and podcasts from Moldova.

Support for Confidence Building Measures

People on both sides of the Nistru River can receive business coaching and information under this project, which aims to improve living conditions by increasing economic opportunities and creating jobs; hundreds of entrepreneurs have already obtained business consulting and entrepreneurial training, including in digital marketing. The project has also opened a business hub in Tiraspol for IT specialists and start-ups, as well as four business platforms, and also provides support to civil society and media initiatives. Find out more about the project and follow the UNDP Moldova Facebook page for new opportunities.

EU4Youth

The EU4Youth programme (phase III 2022-25 “Youth Employment & Entrepreneurship”) has launched a call for proposals for projects to develop digital skills among young people, especially in disadvantaged communities, and for the development of social entrepreneurship and career management skills, linked to the promotion of youth entrepreneurship in the green and digital economies.

Under the previous wave of EU4Youth projects, two projects (EUnlocking and  Social Innovation Impact) offered business training and start-up funding to young social entrepreneurs in Moldova, while hundreds of pupils in disadvantaged rural areas benefited from labour skills and business development training under the School Garden project. Follow the EU4Youth page for upcoming opportunities.

Empowerment of Youth Entrepreneurship

The EU-funded Empowerment of Youth Entrepreneurship project (2023-2025), implemented by a consortium led by the German NGO HELP and comprised of the Moldovan CSOs DEMOS, HomeCare and Pro.Co.Re., will promote capacity-building activities to increase CSOs’ internal organisational skills, fundraising tools, and other areas of expertise that will help them fulfil their missions. The initiative also supports the development of entrepreneurship skills and will soon launch call for small grants for starting/developing small and micro businesses ideas of youth.

IT skills

EU4Moldova – Startup City Cahul

The EU is supporting digital education and innovation in Cahul in southern Moldova through an ambitious range of IT education, online tech training, robotics and programming courses, and entrepreneurial programmes. Opportunities include youth entrepreneurial and ICT educational programmes, support for the digitisation of business, and the creation of an innovation centre for continuous learning. Check out the latest news on the project, as well as events and upcoming courses and opportunities. Find out more on the project’s website and Facebook page.

The project also supports digital education and innovation through support for STEM education in local schools, with an ambitious range of IT education and robotics and programming courses in schools, starting from the very youngest age, including courses for children even as young as five. Find out more.

Vibe Academy

Funded by the EU under a civil society programme in Moldova, the Vibe Academy is a social enterprise based in Cahul offering IT and Robotics courses for children aged 5-17. In addition to its paid courses, the academy offers free education to 100 children from socially vulnerable families in the Cahul district. Check out the available courses here.

EaP Civil Society Facility hackathons

The EaP Civil Society Facility organises a series of EaP Regional Hackathons – special events that bring together civil activists and IT professionals from the Eastern Partnership countries to work face-to-face on civic tech solutions that would enable civil society to better contribute to reforms and democratic changes in their home countries. Teams work with mentors to enhance their existing prototypes of digital solutions, with the winner(s) receiving financial and expert support from the European Union to finalise and launch their projects. Visit the Hackathon website for more details!

EU4Digital

The EU4Digital programme is setting up an EdTech Hub for the Eastern Partnership region, which aims to foster collaboration between the EU and the Eastern partner countries, creating new opportunities for growth and development. The EdTech Hub is set to launch its first courses in July 2023. Currently, course curricula are being developed, local partners are being selected and partnerships established. The EdTech Hub is part of the EU commitment to digitally empower 1 million EaP citizens. For more info and how to take part, click here.

EU4Digital also highlights a range of other EU programmes to support digital skills for SMEs, including the EaP Startups ecosystem.

Communication and leadership

Young European Ambassadors

The Young European Ambassadors (YEAs) initiative is a non-political, voluntary, vibrant communication network connecting young people from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and the EU Member States and the United Kingdom. The aim of the network is to raise awareness about the EU’s cooperation with its Eastern partner countries, showcase the tangible results of this cooperation, and contribute to policy dialogue on various topics.

Through participation in the network, YEAs learn important new skills, improving their competences in the fields of teamwork, problem-solving, leadership, and communication – essential soft skills for future careers! There are currently more than 900 active YEAs representing over 34 different nationalities, including 118 in Moldova (click here to meet them). The network is open to young people aged between 16 and 26, interested in public diplomacy and outreach activities. Applications take place every year, usually in the autumn.

Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges

In recent years, thousands of young people and youth workers from Moldova have participated in joint Erasmus+ Youth projects (exchanges, trainings, policy debate, volunteering). Erasmus+ youth exchanges are open to anyone between the ages of 13 and 30, and last between 5 and 21 days. These exchanges take place through youth organisations and you cannot apply directly as an individual.

To find out more, contact the Erasmus+ Youth Info Centre in the Republic of Moldova by visiting their Facebook page, by phone +373 699 44 499 or email to [email protected].

European Solidarity Corps

One way to gain experience abroad is by volunteering through the European Solidarity Corps. This is a unique way to experience different cultures and make new friends, while also helping others and learning new skills. You need to be between 17 and 30 and be willing to spend between two weeks and 12 months abroad. Volunteer projects could be anywhere in the EU or its partner countries, and in fields as varied as culture, youth, sports, children, cultural heritage, arts, animal welfare or the environment. Find out how to apply and check out hundreds of opportunities on the European Solidarity Corps portal.

Civil Society Fellowships

The EU supports young civil society leaders and activists in Moldova and across the Eastern Partnership through its EaP Civil Society Fellowships programme. Every year, the programme helps 20 civil society activists in their efforts to achieve positive social change in their communities, offering tailored training, grants of €5,000 and access to networking opportunities. Details about the Fellows selected since the programme began 2017 and their areas of interest can be found here. Applications usually take place every year. Check here for updates.

EaP Civil Society Facility – e-learning

The EU’s EaP Civil Society Facility offers civil society representatives targeted online courses and materials adapted to their needs and the situations they face in their daily work. On the project’s e-Learning Hub, you will find a number of online courses, webinars and video-lectures that will provide you with the tools and skills in areas as diverse as policy analysis and monitoring, project management, digital competences and web-design for CSOs. The project also offers a number of blended courses that combined online elements with face-to-face trainings to have an enhanced impact. Find out more.

Moldova Youth Civil Society (MYCS)

The EU-funded project “MYCS: for a stronger youth civil society” aims to strengthen the capacities of local civic actors in the youth field and provide inclusive youth participation and empowerment programmes and services. The project supports CSOs and informal youth groups to deliver services, promote sustainable youth participation and mobilise local communities.

Eastern Partnership European School

The Eastern Partnership European School in Tbilisi offers a two-year International Baccalaureate programme for pupils from all six Eastern Partnership countries, including Moldova, with full scholarships paid by the European Union, including fees, boarding and travel home for holidays. But the number of places is limited – only 35 per year – so you have to meet certain conditions and pass through competitive process in order to apply. Since the launch of the programme in 2018, 145 students have received scholarships for the school, graduating with the IB diploma and going on to study at top universities across the world. The next cohort of students will be recruited to join for the 2024-2026 IB programme.

Learning a new profession

Not in Education, Employment and Training (NEETs)

The EU-funded project on ‘Better opportunities for Young Women and Men Not in Education, Employment and Training in Moldova’ works with NGOs to develop youth skills, and offers support for youth business ideas through special youth-led entrepreneurship funds. Visit website and Facebook page of the East Europe Foundation (which also manages a number of other related projects supporting social entrepreneurship, and NEETs) for latest resources and opportunities.

Vocational Education and Training

The Moldovan VET educational system consists of 42 vocational schools, 36 colleges and 13 centres of excellence, located throughout the country, preparing students for more than 80 trades and 100 specialities. The EU has provided extensive support to Vocational Education and Training in Moldova, and the European Training Foundation continues to support reform of skills development, working with the Ministries of Education and Labour to ensure that qualifications are developed in line with labour market needs.

The “EU4Moldova – Local communities (LOCOMO)” initiative also has a VET-dedicated component, which aims to foster the quality and relevance of vocational education, supporting the alignment of policies and practices to international standards, focusing on VET institutions in selected districts of the country.

Joboteca

The EU-funded project “Joboteca – a pilot programme for youth employment in Moldova” fosters the employability skills of young people and facilitates interactions with potential employers and local communities. The project has set up ‘Jobotecas’ (youth-friendly spaces in 25 schools in 5 districts of the country, equipped with tools for online and offline info-sessions for career guidance for young people), carries out training and capacity building programmes for teachers and youth, and offers small grant opportunities for 15 community-based initiatives supporting youth in accessing job opportunities. Find out more about the project’s latest activities and opportunities.

Higher education

Erasmus+

The EU offers a wide range of study opportunities through the Erasmus+ programme, including student exchanges in European universities at bachelor, master and doctoral levels – the exchanges will be part of the programme you are following and can last between one term and one year. And your expenses will be covered! You can also apply for an Erasmus+ scholarship to study for a Master’s degree at top European universities.

For exchanges, visit the international relations office at your university – they will tell you which opportunities are available in your subject and will help you to apply.

For a Master’s degree, you need to check out the catalogue of Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees, which lists the courses offering Erasmus scholarships in the upcoming academic year (there are 193 courses currently listed), then contact the university to apply for the course and scholarship.

The National Erasmus+ Office in the Republic of Moldova is there to help you with any information. You can check out their website for more information or follow them on Facebook, email them at [email protected]or call them on +373 22 881 630.

College of Europe Scholarships

The College of Europe offers a large number of scholarships to university graduates coming from Moldova and other countries of the European Neighbourhood Policy for post-graduate studies. Scholarships are also available for students from the Eastern Partnership countries, funded by the EU4Youth programme. Applications for the academic year 2024/2025 will open in October 2023.

Media literacy

EUvsDisinfo

What is disinformation? How can we avoid falling for it? How can we respond to it? EUvsDisinfo aims to help citizens develop resistance to digital information and media manipulation by increasing awareness and understanding of Russian disinformation operations. Using data analysis and media monitoring services in 15 languages, EUvsDisinfo identifies, compiles, and exposes disinformation cases originating in pro-Kremlin media that are spread across the EU and Eastern Partnership countries.

The project’s Learn platform also includes a selection of useful tools, games, podcasts and other resources to build or strengthen your resilience to disinformation.

EU4Independent Media

The EU4Independent Media programme is active across the six countries of the Eastern Partnership. It offers online and face-to-face trainings for media professionals, on-the-job and individual mentoring to improve editorial content or enhance management and marketing skills, as well as develop new revenue streams and a better understanding of audiences. It also supports content production and networking.

Check the EU Neighbours east media opportunities page for latest information.

A number of free courses for media and communication professionals are available online:

Fact-checking in the era of fake news

Innovation in storytelling

Digital transition in the newsroom

Online media production – mastering the essentials

Running an efficient media business

Supporting Independent Media and Information Resilience

The Supporting Independent Media and Information Resilience in Moldova project aims to strengthen independent media and promote local voices. The project provides emergency support to up to 20 Moldovan media to stay afloat and produce uninterrupted credible content for the public, and supports civil society and media organisations to improve audiences’ skills in identifying and recognising disinformation. Follow Internews Moldova for their latest opportunities in the field of media education.