Between 27 and 31 January 2026, a joint delegation from the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) and the “Alecu Russo” State University of Bălți (USARB) carried out an academic visit to the University of Strasbourg and the IUT Louis Pasteur. Held within the framework of the FREDI project – FRanco-moldave Entrepreneuriat & Droit de l’Innovation – the mobility marks an essential step in strengthening Franco-Moldovan university cooperation and in positioning UTM as an active player in the internationalisation of education and academic innovation.
The FREDI project is supported by the Équipe France Fund (FEF-R) through the “Franco-Moldovan University Cooperation” call, and financed by the Embassy of France in the Republic of Moldova and the Alliance Française of Moldova. The initiative benefits from the continued support of Emmanuel Skoulios, director of the Alliance Française of Moldova, whose contribution facilitates bilateral cooperation, as well as from the expertise of Jean-Claude Million, who provides methodological and conceptual guidance for the project’s activities.
The visit was aligned with the implementation of the project’s applied components, with a wider impact generated through its connection to opportunities offered by the Erasmus+ programme. This mobility aimed to develop inter-university cooperation, advance the binational module “Entrepreneuriat & Droit de l’Innovation”, exchange pedagogical best practices, and connect the academic environment of the Republic of Moldova with France’s entrepreneurial and legal ecosystem.
In this context, Vice-Rector Daniela Pojar held working meetings with Irina Simion, director of the International Relations Office, as well as with members of the management of the University of Strasbourg, including the vice-rector responsible for finance. The discussions focused on mechanisms of university governance and internationalisation policies, the management of financial resources for supporting mobilities, and the development of joint study programmes—issues of strategic importance for UTM.
A central point on the agenda was the development of the binational module “Entrepreneuriat & Droit de l’Innovation”. The delegation explored the French entrepreneurial ecosystem through visits to leading structures:
A reference point of the visit was Pépite Etena, a university structure dedicated to supporting student-entrepreneurs. Participants examined support mechanisms for entrepreneurial initiatives, models used to grant student-entrepreneur status, and the integration of legal and economic competencies into entrepreneurial training—benchmarks that will be adapted to the Moldovan context.
Working meetings with representatives of the Strasbourg Chamber of Commerce and Industry focused on the role of university–business partnerships, the support of innovation, and the integration of graduates into competitive economic ecosystems. These exchanges underscored the importance of collaboration between academia and the private sector and the need to prepare graduates for innovative environments.
At IUT Louis Pasteur, members of the delegation participated in sessions dedicated to the Créa IUT programme, attending entrepreneurship courses, student project presentations, and discussions regarding FREDI project deliverables. The emphasis was placed on project-based learning, interdisciplinarity, and integrating the legal dimension of innovation into university curricula.
This academic mobility confirms the value of Franco-Moldovan cooperation in entrepreneurship, business law and innovation, highlighting the active role of the Technical University of Moldova in the modernisation of higher education. The visit to Strasbourg represents an important milestone in the implementation of the FREDI project, reflecting UTM’s commitment to promoting forward-looking education, internationalisation, and the training of a new generation of entrepreneurial-minded professionals anchored in European values.
