The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Higher Education Project (P167790) Higher Education Project (P167790) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | Moldova | Education Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2020 | Seq No: 4 | ARCHIVED on 23-Dec-2021 | ISR49707 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, Republic of Moldova through the Ministry of Finance Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 05-Mar-2020 Effectiveness Date: 15-Sep-2020 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 31-Mar-2023 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: Original Closing Date: 31-Dec-2025 Revised Closing Date: 31-Dec-2025 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The Project Development Objective is to improve the labor market orientation of selected higher education institutions and the quality assurance mechanisms. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name 1 – Improving the Quality Assurance Mechanisms:(Cost $10.30 M) 2 – Improving the Labor Market Orientation through Targeted Interventions:(Cost $27.80 M) 3 – Project Management:(Cost $1.30 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Moderate Implementation Status and Key Decisions This is the third Implementation Status and Results Report for this Project after declaration of effectiveness on September 15, 2020. The project is progressing with overall satisfactory implementation despite the COVID-19 pandemic impact and several key staff changes in the Ministry of Education and Research and the change of the structure of the Ministry, which caused initial delays to early activity implementation. Positive progress is now being observed, with the following key activities underway: 1. Launch of the preparation for the Quality Assurance Agency to be registered in the European Quality Assurance Register, which is fundamental for the recognition of diplomas issued by Moldovan universities in Europe; 2. Launch of the Higher Education Improvement Program (component 2). Selection of the first set of universities and pedagogical colleges that will receive funds to raise the labor market relevance of the training is under implementation; 3. Signing of the contract with the National Institute for Economic Research for the Graduate Tracer Study. The progress towards the achievement of the Project Development Objectives remains Satisfactory. 12/23/2021 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Higher Education Project (P167790) Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance High Moderate Moderate Macroeconomic High Substantial Moderate Sector Strategies and Policies High Substantial Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program Substantial Substantial Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Substantial Substantial Sustainability Fiduciary High Substantial Substantial Environment and Social Moderate Moderate Moderate Stakeholders High High Substantial Other -- Moderate Moderate Overall High Substantial Moderate Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes To improve the labor market orientation of selected higher education institutions IN01083784 ►Share of students of selected higher education institutions enrolled in Bachelor and Master's programs of government's priority areas (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 15.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The total number of students enrolled in Bachelor's and Master's programs of government priority areas for all Moldovan higher education institutions for 2020/2021 was collected based on the reports submitted by the higher education institutions to MoER. Once the higher education institutions will be selected under Comments: Component 2 of the Project, the share of students of selected higher education institutions enrolled in Bachelor's and Master's Programs of Government priority areas will be calculated and included as baseline. IN01083871 ►Perception of employers about the labor market orientation of selected higher education institutions' programs (Percentage, Custom) 12/23/2021 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Higher Education Project (P167790) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 25.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The selection of the company to measure the indicator is at the final stage. Comments: To improve the quality assurance mechanisms IN01083783 ►New Master's programs accredited based on the revised curriculum (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 This indicator measures the increase in the share of new Master's programs accredited based on the Comments: revised curriculum. IN01083785 ►Registration of NAQAER in EQAR (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target NAQAER is not NAQAER is not NAQAER is not NAQAER is registered Value registered in EQAR registered in EQAR registered in EQAR in EQAR Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 This indicator measures the status of the registration of the NAQAER in EQAR. The registration of NAQAER in EQAR is fundamental for the recognition of diplomas issued by Moldovan universities in Comments: Europe. Thus, this indicator captures a quintessential feature of the quality assurance mechanisms applicable to higher education in Moldova. Intermediate Results Indicators by Components 1 - Improving the Quality Assurance Mechanisms IN01083872 ►Higher education qualification standards developed and revised (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 29.00 300.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The qualification standards for 4 fields are under development Comments: IN01083874 ►Bachelor and Master's programs updated in accordance with the qualification standards developed and revised through the Project (Percentage, Custom) 12/23/2021 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Higher Education Project (P167790) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 30.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 Currently, there are 370 Bachelor's programs and 400 Master's programs. The percentage of Bachelor's and Master's programs updated in accordance with the qualification standards developed and revised will Comments: be calculated starting from the second semester of 2023. IN01083877 ►Higher education students benefiting from systemic interventions in quality, information systems and financing (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 47,287.00 91,000.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 Data was collected from documents submitted by the Higher Education Department of the MoER. The developed financing formula is being implemented in 14 higher education institutions, according to the Government Decision 343/2020 dated June 10, 2020 on approval of the Methodology for budgetary Comments: financing of higher education institutions. The total number of students in the 14 higher education institutions is 47,287 of which 20,948 students are financed from the budget. IN01083879 of which are female students (Number, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 28,372.00 53,000.00 IN01083881 ►Staff of MoECR, NAQAER and higher education institutions trained in higher education quality assurance through the Project (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 230.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 This indicator measures the number of staff of the MoECR, NAQAER and higher education institutions Comments: trained in higher education quality assurance through the Project. IN01083883 ►New financial model (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target New financial model has New financial model has New financial model New financial model is Value been developed, but has been developed, and is has been developed, implemented system- not been piloted yet under pilot and is under pilot wide Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 Comments: This indicator measures the progress with the implementation of the new higher education financial model IN01083885 ►Higher Education Management Information System (HEMIS) (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 12/23/2021 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Higher Education Project (P167790) HEMIS is operational HEMIS does not exist and its data is used for Value HEMIS does not exist HEMIS does not exist planning or decision- making Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 This indicator measures the status of the development and implementation of the HEMIS. The measurement of the implementation of the HEMIS includes the utilization of its data for planning or Comments: decision-making. IN01083887 ►Unified electronic higher education admission system (e-Admission) (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target There is no unified There is no unified There is no unified electronic higher electronic higher electronic higher e-Admission system is Value education admission education admission education admission operational information system information system information system Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 This indicator measures the status of the development of the unified electronic higher education Comments: admission (e-Admission) system IN01083888 ►Labor Market Information System (LMIS) (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target LMIS is operational and its data is used for Value LMIS does not exist LMIS does not exist LMIS does not exist planning and decision- making Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 This indicator measures the status of the development and implementation of the LMIS. The Comments: measurement of the implementation of the LMIS includes the verification of the utilization of its data for planning or decision-making. 2 - Improving the Labor Market Orientation through Targeted Interventions IN01083873 ►Laboratories of selected higher education institutions equipped (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 9.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The call for Higher Education Improvement Programs (HEIP) has been launched and applications were expected by December 13, 2021. This indicator measures the number of laboratories of selected higher Comments: education institutions equipped through the HEIP. IN01083875 ►Higher Education Improvement Programs approved in accordance with the criteria established in the Project Operations Manual (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 12/23/2021 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Higher Education Project (P167790) Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 90.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The call for Higher Education Improvement Programs (HEIP) has been launched and applications were expected by December 13, 2021. This indicator measures the share of Higher Education Improvement Comments: Programs approved in accordance with the criteria established in the HEIPOM. IN01083878 ►Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 49,000.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The call for Higher Education Improvement Programs (HEIP) has been launched and applications were Comments: expected by December 13, 2021. IN01083880 Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning - Female (Number, Corporate Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 29,000.00 IN01083882 ►Partnerships between universities, pedagogical colleges and employers established through the HEIP (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 15.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The call for Higher Education Improvement Programs (HEIP) has been launched and applications were expected by December 13, 2021. This indicator measures the number of partnerships between Comments: universities, pedagogical and employers that are established through the HEIP. IN01083884 ►Share of women enrolled in STEM programs developed or improved through the HEIP (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The call for Higher Education Improvement Programs (HEIP) has been launched and applications were expected by December 13, 2021. This indicator measures the increase in the share of women enrolled in Comments: STEM programs developed or improved through the HEIP. IN01083886 ►Research or academic programs contributing to climate change adaptation or mitigation developed or improved through the HEIP (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 12/23/2021 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Higher Education Project (P167790) Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 The call for Higher Education Improvement Programs (HEIP) has been launched and applications were expected by December 13, 2021. This indicator measures the number of research or academic programs Comments: in technologies, processes or policies contributing to climate change adaptation or mitigation, which are developed or revised through the HEIP. 3 - Project Management IN01083876 ►Project beneficiaries reporting that effective engagement processes have been established (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 30.00 Date 01-Oct-2019 07-Jun-2021 14-Dec-2021 31-Dec-2025 This indicator measures the increase in the share of project beneficiaries who report that effective engagement processes have been established through the Project. The selection process of the company Comments: to conduct the survey is at the final stage. Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P167790 IDA-65420 Effective USD 39.40 39.40 0.00 0.22 40.09 0.6% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P167790 IDA-65420 Effective 05-Mar-2020 19-May-2020 15-Sep-2020 31-Dec-2025 31-Dec-2025 Cumulative Disbursements 12/23/2021 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Higher Education Project (P167790) PBC Disbursement Achievement Disbursed amount in Disbursement % PBC ID PBC Type Description Coc PBC Amount Status Coc for PBC Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 12/23/2021 Page 8 of 8