Motivation of academics in the Global South: a case from Cambodia higher education

The experiences of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) academics in higher education institutions have garnered increasing attention due to persistent disparities and challenges faced by these groups. This protocol outlines a systematic review aimed at exploring the experiences of BAME academics in alternative higher education institutions. The review will synthesize existing literature to identify key themes, challenges, and opportunities encountered by BAME academics in these non-traditional settings. The systematic review will follow established guidelines, including a comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Inclusion criteria will focus on peer-reviewed articles, dissertations, and reports that examine the experiences of BAME academics in alternative higher education institutions. Studies will be selected based on relevance, methodological rigor, and the richness of data on BAME academics' experiences. Data extraction will involve detailed coding of study characteristics, participant demographics, and key findings related to the experiences of BAME academics. Thematic analysis will be employed to identify recurring patterns and themes across the selected studies. This approach will allow for a nuanced understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by BAME academics in alternative higher education institutions. The findings from this systematic review will provide valuable insights into the lived experiences of BAME academics, highlighting areas for policy intervention and institutional support. By identifying best practices and areas needing improvement, this review aims to contribute to the development of more inclusive and equitable higher education environments. The results will be disseminated through academic publications, conference presentations, and stakeholder engagement to inform future research, policy, and practice. This protocol underscores the importance of addressing the specific needs of BAME academics in alternative higher education institutions and aims to foster a more inclusive academic landscape.

A major policy change was made in 1997 when the Royal Government of Cambodia began to privatize higher education institutions (HEIs). As a result of this reform, there were 189 HEIs in 2024, up significantly from just 8 in the late 1990s. To uphold and ensure the quality of higher education, the Accreditation Committee of Cambodia was established in 2003 as a formal legal mechanism for accreditation. Student Service is essential for improving higher education quality and students’ learning outcomes. Student Services was the fifth of nine standard criteria used to assess the quality of higher education in Cambodia. However, researchers and relevant higher education sectors have not yet shown interest in the student service area in the higher education system in Cambodia. This qualitative research study aims to explore stakeholders involved in supporting student services in higher education in Cambodia. The semi-structured interview was deployed with a purposive sampling of ten key informants from relevant institutions. This interview was in a face-to-face format. The key finding of this research revealed that seven stakeholders support student service in Cambodia's higher education. They are parent ministry, industry and community, development partner, higher education institutions, parent and guardians, religion, and student and alumni. Based on the findings, enhancing and maintaining student service quality requires the involvement of all stakeholders, high commitment, cohesive cooperation, and the upholding of student interests. Particularly, higher education institutions (HEIs) should prioritize creating a supportive environment that facilitates seamless student service processes.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the entire world. While causing massive disruptions, COVID-19 has served as a catalyst for the digital transformation of higher education in Cambodia. This chapter discusses how the pandemic has provided opportunities for the digital transformation of Cambodian higher education. The chapter focuses on opportunities related to blended learning, online continuous professional development, and digital higher education. It also examines key challenges to the digitalization of Cambodian higher education, including limited information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and accessibility; limited digital knowledge, skills, and experience; unfavorable attitudes toward online learning; issues with the curriculum and assessment; and a lack of preparedness for ICT-enhanced education. The chapter then discusses the way forward for key stakeholders in higher education in Cambodia to support the momentum for higher education digitalization and further accelerate the digital transformation of Cambodian higher education.

ABSTRACTThis paper discusses a number of key issues in English education and research in Cambodia. Multiple studies on Cambodia often suggest that English is a key component required to transform the standard of life of common Cambodians (Clayton ). To understand the phenomenon of the ever‐increasing demand for English in the country, we conducted a series of semi‐structured interviews with teachers and students followed by a needs analysis of English language learners in a tertiary institution. Our findings suggest that these future employees have a great enthusiasm for learning English mostly mediated by economic imperatives, in a changing world that prioritizes proficiency in the English language. Moreover, it was also found that research in higher education in Cambodia has gained increasing interest among English lecturers and students in the Cambodian academic community.

This article examines the current trends and challenges in developing higher education in Cambodia, offering insights for enhancing its quality. While the Cambodian higher education system has made noticeable developments in the last few decades, it still faces significant obstacles, including inadequate facilities, unequal educational standards, and limited access for marginalized groups. The article highlights the increasing importance of digitalization, science, technology, engineering, mathematics education, and technical training, which demand qualified educators and innovative teaching methods. It emphasizes the need for institutional autonomy, improved faculty qualifications, and outcome-based learning approaches. Furthermore, the article advocates for integrating digital technologies and robust quality assurance mechanisms to enhance transparency and accountability in higher education, thereby fostering a more effective and equitable educational environment. The article is a valuable resource for policymakers and educators aiming to foster a more effective educational landscape in Cambodia by identifying prevailing challenges and useful suggestions.

In alignment with the Royal Government of Cambodia's Vision 2050 and response to Industry 4.0 demands, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports has initiated higher education reforms to build human capital. Despite the rapid increase in higher education institutions, from 1 in 1979 to 189 by 2022–2023, student services remain underdeveloped and inadequately supported. This qualitative study explores key challenges in implementing student services across Cambodian HEIs and examines strategic recommendations to improve support systems. Using purposive sampling, 67 participants from seven stakeholder groups were interviewed through semi-structured, one-on-one, and focus group discussions. Thematic analysis identified challenges such as assessment and attention mechanisms, structured and action plans, human and digital infrastructure, physical infrastructure and facilities, budget constraints, and student perspective. To address these issues, the study proposes a strategic and collaborative approach, involving parent ministries, industry and communities, development partners, religion, parents and guardians, and institutional actors. This study offers practical, stakeholder-informed recommendations to enhance student services, which are vital to improving student success, institutional resilience, and the overall quality of higher education in Cambodia.

Higher education in Cambodia has made noteworthy strides in recent years. However, as the country experiences rapidly evolving economic needs and technological advancements, the mismatch between the skills graduates possess and those demanded by the job market remains a focal point of discussion. This article aims to discuss the issue of skills mismatches in higher education in Cambodia. It provides an understanding of skills mismatches in Cambodian higher education and delves into the major causes of this pressing issue, including limited public investment in higher education, limited involvement of concerned stakeholders, limited use of up-to-date curricula and teaching methods, limited English proficiency, lack of career guidance for students, and a low level of research engagement among Cambodian academics. The article offers solutions to address this pressing issue by emphasizing potential measures, such as providing sufficient orientation to students on the selection of majors in higher education, enhancing government-university-industry linkages, establishing a clear roadmap for improving higher education quality, modernizing curricula and teaching methods, encouraging learner autonomy and a culture of lifelong learning, promoting diversity and inclusion in higher education, enhancing the circulation of information about the job market and industrial needs, and improving the quality and research capacity of faculty members. The article argues that addressing skills mismatches in Cambodian higher education requires a genuine reform and concerted efforts from all concerned stakeholders. It concludes with suggestions for future research.

There is an increasing concern over the quality of education and academics of higher education institutions, including in developing nations such as Malaysia. The aim of this study is to establish and propose the key components to measure the quality of academics from a local perspective. Utilizing a case study approach, this study had selected a prominent higher education institution and carried out a research based on three comprehensive stages of work. The research stages comprised a review of literature, a series of focused group discussions, a questionnaire survey, analyses of the survey responses and the development of the framework for academics’ profile, and expert verification. Seven key components i.e. academic qualification, external attachment, teaching and learning, academic supervision, research and innovation, personal character and leadership and management have been identified as essential to signify the academics’ range of quality. The study also found the variables and parameters for each of the components along with the elements for evaluation. These findings suggest a quality academic model that would be beneficial for the continuous improvement of academics in higher education institutions thus an initiative towards providing quality higher education for the nation.

The Royal Government of Cambodia envisions transforming the country into a middle-income nation by 2030 and a developed nation by 2050, focusing on building human capital to foster a knowledge-based society. As a result, Cambodia's number of higher education institutions (HEIs) has grown significantly over the past decade. Notably, student services have been identified as the fifth criterion to ensure that Cambodian higher education meets regional and global standards. However, up to now, there has been much research focused on student services in Cambodia HEIs. This study, therefore, strives to fill this gap by identifying the benefits of student services in Cambodia's higher education sector. This study explores the impact of student services on student learning outcomes in higher education in Cambodia, an area that has received limited attention from researchers and relevant education sectors. Using a qualitative approach, purposive sampling was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with 38 key informants from various institutions. The interviews included face-to-face discussions with key informants and focus group discussions with students. The research identified four main benefits of student services: academic development, personal development, career development, and citizenship development. The findings suggest that enhancing student service quality is essential for HEIs to create a supportive environment that promotes student learning and ensures overall HEI quality. Key recommendations are given for policymakers and HEI stakeholders in Cambodia based on the findings, particularly the potential advantages for HEIs in using student services to guarantee their financial stability and greater quality of education.

Higher education is essential for any nation. Countries that recognize the significance of higher education focus on improving the quality of their higher education. This article focuses on the role of universities in promoting reforms in higher education in Cambodia and how the universities have failed to play this critical role. It highlights how Cambodian universities have been unable to contribute to meaningful reforms in the higher education sector. It also discusses vital challenges to higher education development, such as inadequate access to higher education, politicization and commercialization of the sub-sector, and insufficient professional development for university teachers. The article concludes with recommendations on how Cambodian universities can contribute to accelerating reforms to improve higher education in Cambodia.

Higher education in Cambodia has experienced positive and impressive progress over the last few decades. However, more efforts are needed to bring about further positive changes and new developments to the sector. This article aims to discuss key challenges facing higher education in Cambodia in relation to the need to promote its quality. The article brings to the fore six major challenges, including limited resources and infrastructure, political influence, weak institutional and sectoral governance, consequences of higher education privatization, low academic salaries, and limited opportunities for continuing professional development (CPD). The article also provides a set of recommendations to address these challenges, focusing on introducing a mechanism to improve resources and infrastructure, keeping political interference to a minimum, improving institutional and sectoral governance, bifurcating universities into research-intensive and teaching-intensive universities, introducing an improvement or reform to incentive and salary systems, and promoting CPD engagement among Cambodian university teachers. The article concludes with an argument for a reform of the Cambodian higher education sector to bring it to a higher stage of development.

Compared with those of its more advanced ASEAN peers, Cambodia’s higher education system is still in its infancy. Its higher education governance, financing and financial management are neither sophisticated nor robust enough to deliver high-quality, relevant higher education to the society and economy. Higher education institutions have mushroomed amid inadequate regulation, supervision and support to meet national needs. The current legal framework for higher education has perpetuated an inefficient, fragmented and reactive regulatory regime. Similarly, the development of the subsector has been dictated by a distorted market system without comprehensive policy or well-thought-out state intervention. This study explores the current governance of higher education in Cambodia. It overviews conceptual discussions and examines key governance issues in public higher education. It reflects also on practices across Southeast Asia to draw academic and policy implications for improving public higher education governance in Cambodia.

Understanding stakeholders' perspectives on recent initiatives to promote research and development in higher education in Cambodia

Higher education is one of the main drivers of economic development. Due to its significant roles, many countries, including Cambodia, have invested in developing their higher education subsector. For over two decades since 1997, Cambodia has experienced a high increase in the number of higher education institutions (HEIs). Despite the rapid institutional expansion, there are many issues impeding the quality of Cambodian higher education. Drawing on secondary sources and the authors’ extensive experience and knowledge of the subsector, this article tries to investigate and explain some of the factors affecting the quality of higher education in Cambodia. The article focuses on several issues, including political interference, fragmented governance structures, ineffective ministerial policy implementation, fragmented institutional management, limited quality of teaching personnel, low academic salaries, business-oriented higher education, and issues concerning curriculum and academic programs. The article offers some suggestions to address these challenges. Key suggestions include (a) limiting political interference in appointing top university leaders, (b) setting up effective and independent higher education quality assurance bodies, (c) creating a term limit for top university leadership roles, (d) establishing a meritocracy-based policy for university leader appointments, (e) making academic salaries comparable to those of other similar professions, (f) developing policies on minimum tuition fees and student loan programs, and (g) introducing mechanisms to improve curricula and promote enrollments in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. The article concludes with suggestions for future research.

1. Introduction Chhinh Sitha, D. Brent Edwards Jr., James H. Williams, and Yuto Kitamura PART I: CONTEXT 2. The Backstory of Education in Cambodia Takayo Ogisu and James H. Williams 3. Getting to the Decision-Making Table in Educational Governance: The Emergence of Cambodian Civil Society within the 'New Global Geometry of Power' D. Brent Edwards Jr. and William C. Brehm PART II: SCHOOLS 4. Pedagogy in Cambodian Schools: A Logic that Governs Teaching and Learning Takayo Ogisu 5. Policy Intention versus Policy Implementation: Disparities in Equity and Diversity in Inclusive Education in Cambodia Makiko Hayashi and D. Brent Edwards Jr. 6. The Structures and Agents Enabling Educational Corruption in Cambodia: Shadow Education and the Business of Examinations William C. Brehm PART III: DROPOUT 7. Does Students' Gender Matter? Parents' Educational Expectations, Their Determinants and Consequences in Explaining Students' Dropout in an Area in Cambodia Thomas Zimmermann and James H. Williams 8. The Complexity of Continuation: A Narrative Perspective on Student Transition and Dropout from Primary to Lower Secondary School in Cambodia D. Brent Edwards Jr., Thomas Zimmermann, Chhinh Sitha, James H. Williams, and Yuto Kitamura PART IV: HIGHER EDUCATION 9. Higher Education in Cambodia: Expansion and Quality Improvement James H. Williams, Yuto Kitamura, and C. Sopcheak Keng 10. Who Wants to Teach in Cambodia? James H. Williams, Yuto Kitamura, Takayo Ogisu, and Thomas Zimmermann 11. Quality of Education and Research in Cambodian Higher Education Institutions Yuto Kitamura, Naoki Umemiya, Yasushi Hirosato, and Sam Sideth Dy PART V: CONCLUSION 12. The Way Forward for Education Reform in Cambodia Chhinh Sitha