From AI use to corruption: Survey reveals the shifting landscape of Moldovan higher education
Moldovan students generally rate their university experience as "good" to "very good," with many willing to recommend their institutions. However, academic integrity remains the "weak link" in the system.
These findings stem from a study by Magenta Consulting, presented by the Ministry of Education and Research (MEC). The survey included 3,635 students and, for the first time, 419 faculty members across six major universities.
Positive trends in student satisfaction
The data reveals a high satisfaction index of 8 out of 10. Students particularly praised faculty materials (59% fully satisfied) and the digitalization of administrative services (62%).
Education Minister Dan Perciun highlighted that more students are now active ambassadors for their universities. This suggests a growing belief in the quality of local education.
However, infrastructure remains a challenge. Only 30% of students expressed full satisfaction with dormitories, while only 28% were satisfied with campus accessibility for people with special needs.
The integrity gap and the rise of AI
The integrity index fell by 0.6 points to 6.97 this year. This decline may indicate worsening issues or, more optimistically, that students have become more aware and willing to report misconduct.
The study also highlights the rapid adoption of Artificial Intelligence. Approximately 39% of students admitted to using AI tools for generating or rewriting texts over the past 12 months.
Furthermore, 28% of respondents identified "peer-to-peer cheating" as a common practice. Many professors currently favor lenient measures, such as allowing students to rewrite work rather than reporting fraud.
Reporting corruption and sexual harassment
Awareness of reporting mechanisms is high. 71% of students know where to report corruption, and 75% are aware of channels for reporting sexual harassment.
However, a significant "trust gap" exists. While 86% of students would report sexual harassment, only 59% would report corruption. Only 40% believe that reporting corruption actually leads to justice.
Investment in transparency and ethics
State Secretary Adriana Cazacu announced that the Ministry has allocated €170,000 (approx. 3.3 million MDL) to equip exam halls with video surveillance in five universities.
Additionally, a new mandatory eight-hour "Ethics and Academic Integrity" course is being rolled out. So far, 13,500 students have completed the training, with another 13,500 scheduled for next semester.
Minister Perciun has called on universities to present concrete solutions by February. He emphasized that without genuine academic integrity, higher education cannot provide real value to society.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
