Transitions in Cambodian higher education

Abstract

The Cambodian higher education (HE) system has long been affected by the inconsistency of political and national education policy. Education policy in Cambodia has gone through different transitions including the colonization by the French, the Vietnam occupation, and most recently the Western orientation. The Cambodian HE is now at a 'cross-roads' of its development. The HE sector improved significantly under the leadership of Prince Sihanouk (1954-1969). The late 1990s marked the beginning of privatization of HE in Cambodia. An increasing number of new private higher education institutions in Cambodia and the high unemployment rate among graduates raised the issue of HE quality and policy in Cambodia. This conceptual paper discusses the evolution of the Cambodian HE system, by examining the influence of political and social factors on HE policy from different historical viewpoints. The post-colonial higher education system in Cambodia and the stages of policy development are discussed in this paper.