From 22 to 25 June 2026, nearly 40 teachers, professors and representatives of educational institutions participated in the Training of Trainers Programme on Multilingual Education and the CLIL methodology, held in Chișinău.
The programme aimed to develop a national network of trainers while strengthening their competencies in multilingual education and the CLIL methodology, enabling them to organise and deliver continuous professional development activities for teachers working in pilot schools implementing multilingual education models. The activity is part of the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the Multilingual Education 2025-2030 approved by the Ministry of Education and Research.
The programme also brought together representatives of the Ministry of Education and Research, representatives of partner institutions and organisations, as well as other education professionals. The training sessions were facilitated by international experts from Romania, Estonia and Italy, who shared relevant models and good practices for developing and implementing multilingual education in diverse educational contexts.
Opening the programme, Natalia Djandjgava, Country Manager, CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, highlighted the importance of cooperation among partner institutions in advancing multilingual education.
Over the past years, CMI has had the privilege of supporting the Ministry of Education and Research and the Pedagogical University in advancing multilingual education in the Republic of Moldova by facilitating dialogue among key stakeholders, organising international exchanges of experience, supporting pilot implementation processes and developing educational resources. We are pleased that today we can contribute to strengthening a professional community dedicated to promoting inclusion, linguistic diversity and quality education,- said Natalia Djandjgava.
In her remarks, Alexandra Barbăneagră, Rector of the “Ion Creangă” State Pedagogical University of Chișinău, underlined the importance of building a professional community capable of supporting the further expansion of multilingual education in the Republic of Moldova.
“We are pleased that this training is being hosted by our University, bringing together teachers, practitioners and experts. Your role is essential in the further training of teachers who will implement multilingual education in the pilot schools,” said Alexandra Barbăneagră.
Throughout the four-day programme, participants explored the principles and models of multilingual education, second language acquisition, the CLIL methodology, pedagogical scaffolding strategies, the integration of subject content and language, action research, and the design of learner-centred teaching activities for multilingual classrooms.
The programme combined theoretical sessions with practical exercises, case studies and collaborative group work. Participants developed lesson scenarios, applied the tools and methodologies presented during the training, and analysed ways of adapting them to the context of schools in the Republic of Moldova. The final session focused on reflecting on the overall learning journey and identifying the next steps for applying the knowledge gained in their professional practice.
Through this initiative, together with our partners, we aim to contribute to the development of an inclusive and high-quality education system that values the linguistic and cultural diversity of the Republic of Moldova while fostering social cohesion and educational success for every child.
The programme was organised within the framework of the Gagauzia Dialogue project, implemented by CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation with the support of Sweden, in cooperation with the National Centre for Multilingual Education and the “Ion Creangă” State Pedagogical University of Chișinău. This cooperation was further strengthened through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between CMI and the University, marking the continuation of a long-term strategic partnership to promote multilingual education in the Republic of Moldova.
