The article aims to evaluate the effects of Moldova’s higher education reform one year post-implementation, focusing on public university consolidation, international rankings, budget allocations, and student numbers, as well as alignment with EU practices. The study employs a mixed-methods approach, collecting data from institutional reports, government publications, and international databases. Key performance indicators and comparative analysis with EU countries are used for assessment. The research finds that the reform succeeded in streamlining the higher education sector but failed to improve international rankings or budget allocations. Notably, it exacerbated declining student enrollments. The paper uniquely offers a one-year post-reform evaluation, considering both domestic impacts and broader European implications, thereby filling a gap in the existing literature.
