The training seminar "Capacity Building of ANACIP external evaluators" took place between 15-16 November 2016, being organized by the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Professional Education (ANACIP), with the support of the Estonian Quality Agency for Higher and Vocational Education (EKKA). The seminar was attended by 38 local assessors who serve on the committees of external quality assessment for the accreditation of Bachelor’s Degree study programs in the area of general studies "Education Sciences".

The opening speech at the event was given by: Vasile Marina, Deputy Minister of Education, Andrei Galben, Rector of ULIM, Heli Mattisen, director of EKKA and Andrei Chiciuc, president of ANACIP. Heli Mattisen pointed out that Estonia has an extensive experience in higher education development: "All countries have problems similar to those in Moldova, but for many of them we have already identified possible ways of settlement. During these two days we are going to express our view more detailed, being glad to exchange the best practices with colleagues from the Republic of Moldova. I am sure that in the near future, you will be able to consolidate a quality higher education system.”

During the first day of the seminar, both Heli Mattisen, director of EKKA and Andrei Chiciuc, President of ANACIP, presented the historic track of the counterpart agencies and talked about the quality assurance system’s in Estonia and Moldova. In a panel discussion moderated by Carolina Timco, ANACIP general secretary, participants in the seminar were encouraged to discuss in groups and to tell about their views on the challenges in education for the coming years. The seminar also included presentations of ANACIP employees that targeted topics such as: "The role and duties of external evaluators in the quality external evaluation", "Methodology for external quality evaluation of study programs" and also, there was organized a case study on the presentation of the external evaluation report.

The second day was dedicated to a practical exercise. The participants were divided into seven groups according to the seven committees they belong to. Each group received a set of working materials containing a model of self-evaluation report, visit form and the external evaluation report. Throughout the day, in the case study, commission's activity of external evaluation within an educational institution was simulated, some participants acting as evaluators and others – as the institution evaluated. In the end, all teams have drawn up a model of the external evaluation report. This exercise aimed to familiarize the participants with the external evaluation procedure and all its stages.

The training seminar was completed with the conclusion of a Cooperation Agreement with EKKA on quality assurance and evaluation in higher and vocational education. The agreement was signed by Heli Mattisen, director of EKKA, and Andrei Chiciuc, president of ANACIP. The cooperation agreement aims to establish and develop an intense collaboration between the two agencies, which can be done through the exchange of experience and information in the field of quality assurance, best practice transfer of EKKA and promoting the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Professional Education in international and European quality assurance structures. The agreement also involves the participation in joint projects and events, involving the EKKA experts in external evaluations organized by ANACIP and any external activities that are consistent with the state of the two agencies and aim at ensuring quality in education.

The training was organized within the "Capacity Building of ANACIP evaluators" project, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia.