North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall and US Ambassador Kent D. Logsdon on a visit to ”Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy

On October 11, 2023, the Secretary of State of North Carolina, Her Excellency Elaine F. Marshall, visited the ”Nicolae Testemitanu” State University of Medicine and Pharmacy of the Republic of Moldova, where she had a meeting with university community members, with those who are involved in the bilateral partnership. The delegation from North Carolina was accompanied by H.E. Kent D. Logsdon, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Moldova.

Rector Emil Ceban expressed thanks and deep gratitude to the high official of the state of North Carolina for the constant support offered to the institution during 24 years of bilateral cooperation. "Our university lays emphasis on quality and this stimulates us to develop constantly, to be visible, and to integrate into European and world space. We are grateful to our partners from North Carolina for their support in the endowment of libraries, development of new study programs, such as Nursing and Human Nutrition, and we continue to rely on your support and experience in the development of the University Center for Simulation in Medical Training and the creation of the Institute for Health and Medical Research, the initiation of joint research projects and the editing of publications", specified the rector.

Professor Ceban also thanked the US Embassy in the Republic of Moldova for its constant support in achieving bilateral cooperation, highlighting the fact that without the support of the American diplomatic mission, the University would not have established these fruitful collaborations.

A strategic topic pointed out by the University manager concerned the creation of the University Hospital. According to the rector, a modern medical university must also have a clinical institution, which would allow better training of students, the employment of resident doctors and the continuous refresher training of doctors, the implementation of high-performance medical technologies, to enhance research and the application of scientific results in the clinical activity, patients' access to high quality healthcare, etc.

Ambassador Kent D. Logsdon mentioned that the country represented by him was very proud of the partnership with Nicolae Testemitanu University - an extraordinary institution and, above all, of the collaboration with the state of North Carolina. The American diplomat expressed the USA's openness to further supporting bilateral cooperation in the following fields: social, cultural, economic, education, research, medical and humanitarian assistance, etc.

Secretary of State Elaine Marshall was happy to see again most of the beneficiaries of academic mobility and the Open World program, those who visited the American state during the 24 years of cooperation. "I am honored to be the president of this partnership from the state of North Carolina, but I have an even greater responsibility for the fact that I was conferred the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of ”Nicolae Testemitanu” University. My first visit took place in 1999 and I can tell you, with certainty, that a lot of changes have really taken place since then, considering that I have many friends here and I am confident in a better future for the Republic of Moldova”, the American official stated.

Elaine Marshall appreciated the University team for the sustainability spirit and initiative of the bilateral collaboration, for the strategic visions of implementing new development projects in medical and pharmaceutical education and the health system of the Republic of Moldova. ”Nicolae Testemitanu” University was the center and foundation of all our activities here. The core components in this partnership were medical education and the health system – these are two important keys to both individual and group success. It was indeed a dedicated work to participate in this project and to host your delegations. I have great respect for the diplomatic relations that have been established between the two countries, both at the level of the presidency and embassies and I firmly believe that the established personal relationships constitute the foundation for the life-long collaboration between the state of North Carolina and the Republic of Moldova", stated the Secretary of State.

At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the University addressed the American officials with messages of appreciation and gratitude for all the support and expertise provided within the bilateral cooperation programs. For her part, Elaine Marshall expressed her willingness to continue to support our country and announced that next year, on the celebration of 25 years of partnership, it is planned to sign a new collaboration agreement for a period of 5 years.

Secretary of State Elaine Marshall also had a meeting with academician Ion Ababii, ex-rector of Nicolae Testemitanu University who was the initiator and promoter of Moldovan-American collaboration. "You have guided our country on its due path. We realized that it was the right path for the generation to come. Please continue to support the Republic of Moldova and our university, so that we can meet the international standards. It is important for us to have good relations with North Carolina and to be proud to work at Nicolae Testemitanu University which serves as a model for other institutions", said professor Ababii.

"This would not have been possible without your leadership, kindness as well as the vision, which you have created and promoted, because it influenced not only the development of the University, but also that of the health sector, by providing quality services to people, good health being the merit of all", the Secretary of State of North Carolina mentioned.

The high official also visited the University Health Sciences Library which has established a partnership with 12 medical libraries in North Carolina, starting from 2006. Library Director Liubovi Karnaeva stated that the info-documentary institution benefited from donations of publications, over 100 thousand copies of medical books and journals, computing technology, free access to valuable databases and information resources focused on evidence-based medicine, and international loan of scientific articles. Librarians undertook mutual visits, exchange of experience and best practices, attended international conferences and training courses held by North Carolina librarians.

In the 24 years of bilateral cooperation, Nicolae Testemitanu University has developed cooperation relations with medical education, research, and health institutions in the state of North Carolina, especially with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the East Carolina University. Over the years, a series of cooperation projects have been carried out in the fields of dentistry, pharmacy, nursing, the activity of medical libraries and healthcare. The activities were mainly focused on the exchange of experience and the transfer of knowledge and good practices through academic mobility of teachers, students, librarians, and the organization of educational courses, including distance learning, etc. All these activities have a systemic character, with a beneficial impact on higher medical education, research activity and the national health system.

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