MIGRATION

FOR DEVELOPMENT

Well-managed migration is an important tool to support sustainable development of Slovakia and Europe.

Supporting the Market Environment in Moldova: Digital Innovation, Labour Market and Investment - Phase 1

Migration and development

Project title:

Supporting the Market Environment in Moldova: Digital Innovation, Labour Market and Investment - Phase 1

Duration:

October 2023 - April 2025

Donor:

Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC).

Project partners:

Moldova: Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics of the Technical University of Moldova (FCIM TUM), Seed Forum Moldova and ESET.

Slovakia: ESET.

Implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic within the grant for the implementation of the Slovak development assistance project from the SLOVAKAID program. The European Migration Agency is solely responsible for the content of this document.

The project, funded by SlovakAid, aims to contribute to the long-term improvement of the market environment, strengthen relations between the public, private and academic sectors and transfer Slovak experience in the field of digital education and marketing in a total of 4 regions of Moldova - Chisinau, Balti, Comrat and Cahul, in order to systematically improve the socio-economic status of young people, women and the broader public.
Economic growth in Moldova is still slowed by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 shock as well as the Russian invasion of Ukraine. These circumstances affect the need for a more sustainable economic growth model driven by private investment and productivity improvements.

Improving the infrastructure and market environment is therefore essential to increase employment for both skilled and long-term unemployed Moldovans, returning migrants, including refugees from Ukraine. Economic growth in Moldova, therefore, requires resources to create a sustainable, inclusive, and modern environment, particularly with regard to the IT sector.
The project comprehensively addresses capacity development in Moldova with an emphasis on gender equality, linking the capital with three less developed regions through its activities and contribution to job creation for young people and women in Moldova's regions.

The project will support 20 students (m/f) from the Technical University of Moldova through the "Cyber Security Academy" training programme and offer international internships at ESET.

80 people (m/f) in less developed regions will benefit from the "TECH Incubator and TECH WOMEN Incubator" programs, career mentoring and work placements in local IT companies.

15 SMEs from the regions will be trained in digitalization/smart solutions and 4 selected enterprises will be supported through mini-grants and individual business mentoring provided by Slovak experts.
At the job fair in Chisinau, with an expected attendance of approximately 1,600 people and more than 20 TECH companies, the organisers will be joined by a Slovak expert with a long career at Profesia, who will provide expert advice on the event.

The topic of gender equality will also be covered through networking workshops and the international conference "WOMEN IN TECH" with an expected attendance of 2,900 people. The conference will be attended by female experts from Slovakia who will share their experiences as well as the challenges they have had to overcome in building their careers in the IT sphere.

Strengthening Critical Cyber Security Capacities in Ukraine – The Cyber Security Academy

Migration and development

Project title:

Strengthening Critical Cyber Security Capacities in Ukraine – The Cyber Security Academy

Duration:

August 2023 – May 2024

Donor:

US Embassy in Kyiv (DCP)

Project partners:

Ukraine: National Aviation University and National University of the Kiev-Mohyla Academy

Slovakia: ESET

The project, funded by the US Embassy in Kyiv under its DCP programme (Development Cooperation Partnership), aims to build critical cyber capacities in Ukraine, strengthen cyber hygiene and support relations between academia and the private sector.

Although Ukraine has one of the highest rates of graduates in computer science, mathematics and statistics, and although government efforts include strengthening cyber security education, quality lags behind market demand. This gap continues to widen due to the disparity between IT university programmes and sector requirements in cyber security in the current context in Ukraine.

Through establishing a specialized 10-month programme – the "Cyber Security Academy", the project builds up hard and soft skills of the students of two universities in Kyiv - the National Aviation University and the National University of the Kiev-Mohyla Academy. The programme is taught by experts from the ESET company, and is in line with market requirements. The Academy focuses on theoretical and practical tasks, and complements the curricula of the cyber security faculties of both universities. At the same time, it builds students' soft skills such as presentation, teamwork, critical thinking or gender equality in the workplace. The best graduates of the Academy will receive an internship at ESET and at other IT companies in Slovakia.

Cyber hygiene workshops for 400 girls and young women aged 15-19 will strengthen their protection against cyberbullying and teach them how to navigate in cyberspace in order to protect themselves and their data.
The project fills the aforementioned gaps and creates conditions for a safer cyberspace beneficial to individuals, to society and to the state. It also enhances competitiveness and international connection between the private sector and academia. By involving the private sector, EMA aims to create a comprehensive approach that is important for stronger systems that will ultimately benefit all stakeholders.

Talent Incubator: Digital Education for Women and IT Professionals in Moldova

Migration and development

Project title:

Talent Incubator: Digital Education for Women and IT Professionals in Moldova

Duration:

October 2022 – December 2023

Donor:

Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC).

Project partners:

Moldova: Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics of the Technical University of Moldova (FCIM TUM) and Seed Forum Moldova.

Slovakia: ESET.

The project, supported by SlovakAid, comprehensively addresses the development of ICT capacities in Moldova, the causes of gender inequalities, links Chisinau with the rural areas and contributes to creating jobs for women.

The Moldovan ICT sector, with its high share of the national GDP - 10% in 2021, was declared by the Moldovan government as a priority sector for the country's economic development. The biggest challenge the sector faces is the lack of skilled labour to meet the market needs, which creates a strong opportunity to attract more women for a career in ICT, as their representation in qualified IT positions is still low.

In this context, the project supports the long-term ICT market development, strengthens public-private relationships and shares the Slovak experience in 3 regions - Chisinau, Gagauz and Baltic to systematically improve the socio-economic status of students, women and the general public (with regard to the Ukrainian female refugees).

Through ‘The Cyber Security Academy’ programme and ESET internships, the project will support 30 students (m/w) of the Technical University of Moldova.

100 people (m/w) in Chisinau and 100 women in rural areas will benefit from the "Talent Incubator" - career mentoring and intensive ICT courses focused on social media, management, software testing or graphic / web design.

The issue of gender equality will be further addressed through supporting establishment of 2 women's hubs, networking workshops and the international conference ‘Women in Tech’ (2900 participants).

Lastly, the project will create/maintain employment through the provision of 6 micro grants for women-run businesses.

Anchor 1

Digital Talents: Labour mobility programme of ICT graduates between Slovakia, Ukraine and Moldova (Digi Talents)

Labour
Migration

Name of the project:

Digital Talents: Labour mobility programme of ICT graduates between Slovakia, Ukraine and Moldova (Digi Talents)

The project is financed by:

the EU from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund under the Migration Partnership Facility initiative (MPF)

The project is implemented by:

EMA - Development and Mobility Agency in cooperation with the Digital Coalition (DC) and the Moldovan Association of Information and Communications Technology Companies (ATIC)

Private partners:

ESET, Orange Slovakia and Orange Moldova

Institutional support:

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic; Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic; Technical University of Moldova (TUM); Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure of the Republic of Moldova

Duration:

July 2021 - June 2024 (36 months)

The project is funded by the European Union through the Migration Partnership Facility (MPF) of the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD). MPF is a European Union (EU) funded initiative contributing to the operationalisation of the external dimension of EU migration policy. The MPF aims to strengthen dialogue and cooperation on migration and mobility between Member States and partner countries outside the EU.

The project is co-financed by Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation - SlovakAid.

The project, implemented by EMA in cooperation with the Digital Coalition and the IT Association in Moldova, contributes to the objectives of the EU Agenda on Migration by establishing a well-managed labour mobility scheme for young graduates that is mutually beneficial to both participating countries, Moldova and Slovakia.

"Talents for Moldova – Slovakia for Talents" is Slovak-Moldovan job mobility and career development programme designed for young Moldovan professionals working in the ICT sector. Its main goal is to help Moldovan talents strengthen their professional skills and gain new knowledge in a stimulating environment of ICT companies in Slovakia, thus improving their career prospects in employment or business. The programme will also help fill labour shortages in the ICT sector in Slovakia, support the exchange of expertise between the Slovak and Moldovan ICT sectors and allow ICT companies to explore opportunities for the development of trade relations between the two participating countries. The programme will offer 50 Moldovan graduates and students of ICT-related fields a 12-month job or a 3-month internship in leading ICT companies in Slovakia.

Moldova's ICT sector is growing rapidly, and its demands for skilled workforce are constantly increasing. The project will address the gap between academic education and the labour market in Moldova and the EU by helping participants develop specific hard and soft skills required by employers in practice. For Slovakia, the project will be beneficial through testing and showcasing a labour mobility scheme focused on ethical recruitment of qualified labour, providing relevant support to participating individuals and being accountable towards the source country. This could help towards establishing a comprehensive policy for attracting talent and skilled labour from abroad.

Main project activities:

Talent Incubator training: Before leaving for Slovakia, the programme participants will complete targeted professional training in a talent incubator to prepare them for working in Slovakia and according to the needs of specific ICT companies.
Mobility: Specialised talent training will continue even after participants arrive in Slovakia and start their employment or internship. The participants will undergo intensive training to improve their practical programming and English language skills, as well as mastering the basics of the Slovak language.
Reintegration: Upon termination of employment and return to Moldova, each programme participant will have the opportunity to continue improving their qualifications in the Talent Incubator. At the same time, the participants will receive assistance towards orientation on the Moldovan labour market. Selected candidates will receive financial and practical support in building their own business or start-up.
Capacity building: To build the capacity of local partners in Moldova, ensure the replicability and sustainability of the mobility programme, the project will support the establishment of a public-private partnership between Moldovan national institutions, universities, NGOs and private companies in Moldova and Slovakia.

Skilled workforce for the Moldovan IT sector: Digital education for young women and creation of a Cyber Security Academy

Migration and development

Project title:

Skilled workforce for the Moldovan IT sector: Digital education for young women and creation of a Cyber Security Academy

Duration:

August 2020 – August 2021

Donor:

Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation (SAIDC).

The project is co-financed by ESET and non-governmental organisation TEKEDU.

Project partners:

Moldova: TEKEDU – NGO overseeing the implementation of the GirlsGoIT programme and the Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics of the Technical University of Moldova (FCIM TUM).

Slovakia: ESET, IT Association of Slovakia (ITAS) and the Digital Coalition.

The project funded by SlovakAid's development assistance and co-funded by ESET and non-governmental organisation TEKEDU will support digital education for young women, the creation of a Cyber Security Academy and the establishment of a new IT laboratory in Moldova. European Migration Agency, in cooperation with ESET and Technical University of Chisinau, will renovate and equip a new IT laboratory, which will subsequently serve as the foundation for the launch of a Cyber Security Academy. The most successful Academy graduates will be awarded the opportunity to undertake a professional internship in ESET. The project will support the transition of young women into the ICT sector and organize STEM workshops in cooperation with TEKEDU and its GirlsGoIT programme.

The Moldovan Government has identified the ICT sector as a priority sector for the country’s economic development, as it contributes to Moldova’s GDP at a growing rate and offers quality employment opportunities for competitive salaries. The main challenge the sector is facing is the lack of skilled workforce, which is compounded by massive brain drain from Moldova. This creates the opportunity to attract more women into the Moldovan ICT sector, as their representation remains relatively low.

Moreover, the Moldovan ICT sector also faces the challenge of ensuring the interconnection of the national educational process with the corporate sector in order to align the educational process with the ever-changing requirements of the labour market. The Technical University of Moldova (TUM), which ranks among the country’s leading universities in terms of cooperation with the private sector, decided to cooperate with the leading Slovak company ESET, one of the world’s foremost companies active in the field of cybersecurity, within the framework of the project. In 2017, ESET opened a Research and Development Centre in Iasi, Romania, situated in the vicinity of the Romanian-Moldovan border through which it will develop practical cooperation with the Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics (FCIM) of TUM as part of the project.

Main objectives of the project:

Preparation and organization of a STEM workshop (Science, Tech, Engineering and Mathematics) intended for young women in cooperation with the Moldovan NGO TEKEDU.
Renovation and equipment of an IT Laboratory at FCIM TUM, which will serve as the foundation for the activities of the GirlsGoIT programme and Cyber Security Academy.
Creation of the Cyber Security Academy at FCIM TUM in cooperation with ESET, as part of which the most successful students will be offered professional internships at ESET.
Examination of the possibility of creating a cyber security incubator in Moldova, including the preparation of recommendations and an implementation proposal.

Research to Support the Return of Slovak Nationals from Abroad

Labour

Migration

Project title:

A research study to formulate recommendations for a communication strategy to support the return of Slovak workers from abroad

Duration:

May 2019 – December 2019

Donor:

Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs

of the Slovak Republic

Implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic within the framework of the grant program International Relations and Foreign Policy of the Slovak Republic. The European Migration Agency is solely responsible for the content of this document.

The aim of the project is to identify suitable and effective ways to motivate Slovak workers from abroad to return to Slovakia by mapping the reasons for their departure and possible motivation factors for their return in order to formulate recommendations for a communication strategy towards this target group.

For this purpose, EMA will carry out a quantitative survey among Slovaks living abroad, focusing on EU countries where a significant number of compatriots live. It will also be available for completion online, while outreach will be ensured through community organisations of Slovaks and their groups on social media.

The data will be evaluated and processed in the final report (in electronic version), which will contain recommendations for the creation of a communication strategy of the Government of the Slovak Republic and employers towards Slovak nationals considering returning to Slovakia for work.

The project outputs will be prepared together with the IT Association of Slovakia (ITAS), which will be involved in the collection of questionnaires and as a consulting body in the evaluation of data and formulation of recommendations.

Mobility scheme for Ukrainian IT students to enable transfer of soft and hard skills from Slovakia to Ukraine

Migration and development

Project title:

Mobility scheme for Ukrainian IT students to enable transfer of soft and hard skills from Slovakia to Ukraine in cooperation with Universities and private sector

Duration:

August 2019 - July 2020

Donor:

Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation

The project, supported by SlovakAid, builds on pilot activities of the IT Association Slovakia and the Digital Coalition, which, in cooperation with the Kharkiv Simon Kuznec National University of Economics and the University of Economics and Management of Public Administration (VŠEMVS) created a joint study programme for Ukrainian IT students. The programme is supported by Slovak businesses, who offer scholarships and internships to students and later on two-year employment contracts, during which the company’s initial investment in the student is returned. The aim of the project is to formalize the functioning of the mobility scheme, to involve further universities in Ukraine and in Slovakia, to establish at least three new joint study programmes and to enhance the development potential of the mobility scheme towards Ukraine.

The development potential of the scheme is based on the concept of circular migration. In general, well-managed circular migration is considered as an effective tool for supporting development, as it allows for the transfer of resources from central (high-income countries) to peripheral areas (rural areas, low-income countries). In our case, after completing the scheme (the last year of study, internship and employment contract in Slovakia), students will be encouraged to return to Ukraine, with knowledge and practical skills that will strengthen their position as employees and support development of smaller or medium-sized IT sector companies in Ukraine. The project will focus not only on the provision of hard skills in IT, but on providing students with opportunities to develop their managerial, leadership, project and other soft skills. At the same time, they will be able to gain valuable experience in the environment of successful multinational companies operating within the European regulatory framework.

The project consists of the following activities:

1. Partnership for the implementation of the mobility scheme

2. Development of administrative and operational procedures for the mobility scheme

3. Elaboration of joint study programmes

4. Provision of practical support to students

5. Promotion towards target groups and stakeholders

The direct result of the project will be a mobility scheme with solid administrative and operational rules and at least three new joint study programmes, creating effective ways of transferring knowledge, soft and hard skills and contacts in IT sector to Ukraine through circular migration. At the end of the project, the mobility scheme will be ready for the use and students in Ukraine will be informed that they can enrol in joint study programmes. In this way, the project will contribute to achieving a triple-win situation – a situation where migration is beneficial to the receiving country (addressing the temporary shortage of skilled labour force, strengthening mutual trade relations), for migrants (acquiring of qualifications and skills, strengthening of social capital) and for the source country (transfer of experience and skills, remittances, development of business relationships).

EMA co-operates with IT Association Slovakia in elaboration of a feasibility study to examine the possibility of creating a mobility scheme for Moldovan IT students

Migration and development

Project title:

Feasibility Study – Mobility scheme for Moldovan IT students to enable transfer of soft and hard skills from Slovakia to Moldova in co-operation with higher education institutions and private sector

Duration:

August 2019 - December 2019

Donor:

Slovak Agency for International Development Cooperation

The project builds on pilot activities of the IT Association Slovakia and the Digital Coalition, which, in cooperation with the Kharkiv Simon Kuznec National University of Economics and the University of Economics and Management of Public Administration created a joint study programme for Ukrainian IT students. The programme is supported by Slovak businesses, who offer scholarships and internships to students and later on two-year employment contracts. This mobility scheme thus uses an innovative system of knowledge transfer involving completion of a master study programme, a period of mentored internship and employment with established companies and finally a return home. This approach is in line with the principles of circular migration, which is regarded as an effective means of promoting development, as it facilitates transfer of resources from core to peripheral areas.

If the results of the negotiations in Moldova and the conclusions of the feasibility study support the extension of the scheme to Moldova, ITAS will start work on creating a similar mobility scheme based on joint study programs of Moldovan and Slovak universities and the subsequent employment of their graduates in Slovak companies. This way, the participating Moldovan students would, in addition to a quality study, also gain experience in established businesses, thus acquiring hard and soft skills that would help them in their career development following their return to Moldova.