The Indian Embassy in Phnom Penh hopes more Cambodians will join the recently launched Indian Technical Economic Cooperation (Itec) leadership programmes, its ambassador said on Tuesday.
In a speech on Itec Day on Tuesday in the capital, Indian Ambassador Manika Jain said Itec has initiated leadership programmes for senior management, such as in female leadership and trade investment, in addition to its existing programmes.
“I am hopeful Cambodia will not shy away from these new initiatives,” she said, adding that scholarships under various schemes for degrees and research programmes in premier institutions and universities across India are also offered.
Jain said Cambodia is currently offered 25 scholarship slots each year.
“We can increase these if there is demand,” she said. “However, we have seen there is not sufficient demand for higher studies in India among the bright students of Cambodia.”
The Indian government’s Itec programme was launched in 1964 as a bilateral programme to provide assistance to 158 developing countries. This came as part of Indian initiatives in the South-South Cooperation drive and is a visible symbol of its role in developmental programmes globally.
The country spends $30 million each year on Itec.
So far, more than 1,600 Cambodians working in various ministries, departments and autonomous bodies such as the National Bank of Cambodia and Electricite du Cambodge have benefited from Itec training programmes in their respective fields.