"Success stories" - AIR motivation module for „Nicolae Testemitanu” University students

Several students from Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy participated in an event organized by the Romanian Investors Association in the Republic of Moldova (AIR) in partnership with our institution, where they met top managers Vasile Cazacu, general director of Balkan Pharmaceuticals Moldova, and Petru Chitanu, director of Clinica Sante Moldova - experienced companies operating at an international level.

Present at the event, Vice-Rector for social activity Marcel Abras mentioned that such meetings would be organized periodically for medical students within the framework of an inter-institutional collaboration agreement with AIR. "The status of the Republic of Moldova as a candidate for joining the European Union gives us the opportunity to meet people with successful careers - representatives of our country who collaborate with EU institutions, especially in the field of medicine and pharmacy. Why students of our University? Because they are the future renowned specialists here, at home, or anywhere in the world. For us it is important that these people inspire the students to become successful people too. Nicolae Testemitanu University works for this noble goal", emphasized the vice-rector.

Marina Afanasii, director of AIR, specified that the organization has been active for 5 years in our country and already consists of 31 members, which represents 54 percent of Romanian private investments in the Republic of Moldova. The members of the association are credible companies that bring not only investments, but also launch good intentions and development projects.

The AIR Entrepreneurial project offers students from the Republic of Moldova the opportunity to meet international businesspersons and managers, to find out useful and interesting information about how theory can be translated into practice, to benefit from recommendations and solutions for professional development. Subsequently, AIR Entrepreneurial aims to organize internships for students from the Republic of Moldova at various Romanian companies - AIR members or partners - and to finance "start-up for young" projects, on a competitive basis.

Vasile Cazacu, a graduate of Nicolae Testemitanu University, currently an Associate Professor at the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, mentioned that during his activity he had to retrain to enter the business environment. Now he is the general director of Balkan Pharmaceuticals commercial company with the largest share of foreign investments in the Republic of Moldova worth 50 million euros, whose pharmaceutical products cover most areas of medicine. Collaborative relations with Nicolae Testemitanu University have been established through a memorandum, so students from the Faculty of Pharmacy have the opportunity to undergo a production internship within the company. At the same time, the pharmaceutical company welcomes and promotes the initiatives and innovative ideas of students to provide the population with cost-effective medicines. "The pandemic demonstrated that when the borders were closed and the import of medicines was blocked, Moldova faced an acute shortage of drugs, with the domestic industry covering only 10 percent of the needs", stressed the director of Balkan Pharmaceuticals, urging young people to collaborate under this project to bring more benefits to the society.

Petru Chitanu, director of Clinica Sante Moldova, described the sector in which he operates and came up with recommendations as regards professional opportunities for ambitious young people, specifying that "the field of medicine is growing rapidly and offers countless possibilities for development".

During the event, students asked a series of questions, they were interested in the scientific and economic impediments the entrepreneurs have faced over the years, the state's support in their activity, the development of the chemical industry in the Republic of Moldova, the stages of drug development and testing before the launch on the market, the startup necessary to initiate a business in the field of medicine and pharmacy etc.

The Romanian Investors Association was founded in 2018 with the support of the Romanian Embassy in the Republic of Moldova. Encouraging the business environment at the local and regional level, attracting new private investments from Romania and implementing best European practices are among the strategic objectives of AIR. As the most representative association of Romanian investors in the Republic of Moldova, the organization contributes to the development of the business environment in the country and to the harmonization of dialogue between the authorities and the business environment. Romanian investors, members of AIR, promote examples of corporate governance, fairness and transparency in business - practices successfully implemented in European Union states. Within the framework of the corporate social responsibility policy, AIR members finance social, educational and cultural projects for the benefit of Moldovan citizens.