68 young people became interns of the Joint Internship Programme of the European Union and the Government of the Republic of Moldova
The fourth edition of the EU–Government of Moldova Joint Internship Programme officially launched today, welcoming 68 young professionals selected through a highly competitive process. The launch ceremony was held in the presence of Prime Minister Dorin Recean and EU Ambassador Jānis Mažeiks, who expressed their support for the initiative as a valuable step toward shaping Moldova’s next generation of public service leaders.
The event also marked the launch of the next edition of the Government’s Internship Programme, which brings together an additional cohort of 87 young interns.
The two-month internship programme offers young people the opportunity to work side by side with civil servants in central public institutions, under the guidance of EU High Level Advisers serving as mentors. This hands-on experience is designed to strengthen participants’ professional skills and improve their long-term employment prospects. The programme also includes regular training sessions, seminars, and workshops to enhance interns’ theoretical and practical knowledge of public administration, particularly in the context of European integration.
In his address to the interns, Prime Minister Recean stated: “Through the program, we are professionalizing public administration and preparing a generation of educated, energetic and motivated young leaders to modernize and empower the state on our path to accession to the European Union. I am convinced that only together can we build a European state with strong and professional institutions.”Given Moldova’s current stage in its EU integration process, the 2025 edition of the programme will include thematic content related to EU accession negotiations. Interns will also receive a monthly allowance, fully funded by the European Union.
“This internship programme is about investing in Moldova’s future. By empowering young professionals with practical experience and European know-how, we are supporting the growth of a skilled, motivated, and forward-looking public service, essential for Moldova’s European integration and sustainable development. These young interns will carry forward the values of transparency, efficiency, and citizen-centered governance – some of the core values of the European Union. I am confident that many of them will go on to play a key role in strengthening Moldova’s public institutions and advancing the country’s reform agenda,” stated Jānis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova.
The selected participants include students, master students, and recent graduates from both Moldovan and international universities – young people eager to begin a career in public service and contribute to the country’s development and modernisation. Exposed to governance practices and mentored by EU experts, the interns will bring fresh perspectives, digital competencies, and a results-oriented mindset to public administration. Their contribution is expected to strengthen institutional capacity and support the implementation of key reforms, especially in the context of Moldova’s path toward EU integration. The programme’s previous editions have proven successful, with a number of former interns now employed in state institutions.
“As a former participant of the first edition, I can say the internship was a turning point in my career,” mentioned Iulia Mândru, now Head of the International Relations and External Assistance division at the Ministry of Energy.
The launch of the Programme was preceded by an extensive information campaign, carried out in five of the largest universities in the country, bringing together about 600 students, but also online, for Moldovan students in the diaspora.
The programme is carried out on the basis of the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the Government of the Republic of Moldova, the Council of Rectors and the EU-funded project ‘Moldova is Europe – Support for EU Integration’. Details about the Programme, the selection criteria and procedures are available here.
At the end of the Programme, interns will receive certificates confirming their participation and can benefit from facilities upon entering the civil service: no competition and no testing period, if they get employed in the same division where they carried out the internship.