Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - PM praises state universities

PM praises state universities

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
Prime Minister Hun Sen addresses graduating RULE students on November 1. SPM

PM praises state universities

Prime Minister Hun Sen praised the progress of major state universities based in the capital, including the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP), National University of Management (NUM) and Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE).

While addressing more than 6,000 RULE graduates on November 1, Hun Sen said he considered the progress a tribute to the achievements of the older generations, who laid the foundation for the success of the university. He commended RULE for continuing to improve its quality as well as its prestige.

“RULE comes from humble origins. In 1982, it was a zinc-roofed old building, and the campus was simply partitioned off from the grounds of Boeung Trabek High School,” he said.

“Now, apart from Cambodians, RULE has many foreign students enrolled, including those from the US, South Korea and other major countries around the world. Of all of the universities and colleges in Phnom Penh, this school has the largest foreign student body,” he noted.

Cambodian Institute for Democracy president Pa Chanroeun is of the view that more need to be done to bring Cambodia’s tertiary education to another level.

“It’s a good sign that some public universities are gaining the attention of foreign students. However, as a researcher and educator, I can see that these universities still have educational gaps that require more attention and investment. There is still room to improve quality and develop our educational institutions,” he said.

“If we look at the ranking of universities in the world, no university in Cambodia is mentioned, whereas some ASEAN institutes are. Public and private universities in Cambodia have not yet reached a level where they are competitive internationally,” he added.

According to Open Development Cambodia – an online hub that compiles and provides up-to-date information on the country’s socio-economic development – the Kingdom has not yet become a knowledge-based society and is seeking to shift from its current status as a labour-intensive society.

Currently, higher education institutions (HEIs) in Cambodia can be divided into three categories: Royal Academy, University and College.

Higher education qualifications available in Cambodia include an associate’s degree, a four-year bachelor’s degree, a two-year master’s degree, and a three- to six-year doctorate.

Enrollment in HEIs has grown from just 28,080 students in 2000 to more than 200,000 – including 155 international students – in the 2020-2021 academic year.

MOST VIEWED

  • Wing Bank opens new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004

    Wing Bank celebrates first anniversary as commercial bank with launch of brand-new branch. One year since officially launching with a commercial banking licence, Wing Bank on March 14 launched a new branch in front of Orkide The Royal along Street 2004. The launch was presided over by

  • Girl from Stung Meanchey dump now college grad living in Australia

    After finishing her foundational studies at Trinity College and earning a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Melbourne in 2022, Ron Sophy, a girl who once lived at the Stung Meanchey garbage dump and scavenged for things to sell, is now working at a private

  • Ministry using ChatGPT AI to ‘ease workload’; Khmer version planned

    The Digital Government Committee is planning to make a Khmer language version of popular artificial intelligence (AI) technology ChatGPT available to the public in the near future, following extensive testing. On March 9, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications revealed that it has been using the

  • Wat Phnom hornbills attract tourists, locals

    Thanks to the arrival of a friendly flock of great hornbills, Hour Rithy, a former aviculturist – or raiser of birds – in Kratie province turned Phnom Penh tuk tuk driver, has seen a partial return to his former profession. He has become something of a guide

  • Ministry orders all schools, public and private, to close for SEA Games

    From April 20 to May 18, all public and private educational institutions will be closed to maintain order and support Cambodia's hosting of the 32nd SEA Games and 12th ASEAN Para Games, said a directive from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport. Cambodia will host the

  • Almost 9K tourists see equinox sunrise at Angkor Wat

    Nearly 9,000 visitors – including 2,226 international tourists – gathered at Angkor Wat on March 21 to view the spring equinox sunrise, according to a senior official of the Siem Reap provinical tourism department. Ngov Seng Kak, director of the department, said a total of 8,726 people visited Angkor Wat to