First Christian university opens in Moldova

The new university is called Universitatea Moldo-Americană. It is supported by the Scandinavian broadcaster Visjon Norge and several donors in Norway. Previously, they have contributed to primary and secondary schools, Norge Idag writes. Now, they have moved on to found a university that opened on September 1st. The new building is located in the Moldovan capital Chisinau on the same site as the gymnasium that was established earlier.

The university starts with twenty students but aims to grow. Christian psychology, business/leadership and media/communication courses are offered. Students follow American courses and receive an American degree when they graduate, the University's Facebook page reads. The classes are offered in cooperation with the American Southeastern University.

Bureaucratic obstacles

The idea to start a school and a university on this site came up seven years ago. Then, Jan Hanvold and Doru Cirdei, the founders of the schools, laid down a Bible on a large plot of land near the international airport in the city. However, many bureaucratic obstacles needed to be passed before the schools could be opened.

“It has taken time”, Hanvold told Norge Idag. "Agricultural land had to be reregulated, and infrastructure was needed. Therefore, we chose to use the gymnasium building to facilitate the classes for our university students for now." In the future, the founders of the university plan to erect a new building.