“I want to strive to study in China!” Meng Meimei, a new undergraduate student from Cambodian University of Applied Science and Technology, excitedly told reporters.
The opening ceremony of the first batch of undergraduate students at the University of Applied Science and Technology of Cambodia was recently held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Meng Meimei, along with 9 other freshmen, walked up to the podium and received the Outstanding Student Scholarship certificate with a bright smile. Meng Meimei is 18 years old this year and is about to start studying e-commerce at the University of Applied Science and Technology of Cambodia. She really enjoys the school’s curriculum and campus environment, and looks forward to learning Chinese and professional knowledge here.
The Cambodian University of Applied Science and Technology is jointly established by Nanjing University of Industry and Technology of China and the Cambodian Cambodian Chinese Council. It is the first overseas applied technology university in China’s vocational education, offering undergraduate degree education. Students can obtain both academic qualifications and degree certificates from China and Cambodia. The school unveiled its plaque in Phnom Penh in December 2023, with a total of 160 undergraduate students and 400 non academic students in the school enterprise cooperation order class admitted in the first edition. The first batch of six undergraduate majors offered are New Energy Power Generation Engineering Technology, Automotive Service Engineering Technology, Network Engineering Technology, E-commerce, Modern Logistics Management, and Tourism Management.
Like Meng Meimei, Suo Wanna was also the first undergraduate student of the University of Applied Science and Technology of Cambodia. He told reporters that he did not hesitate to apply to study after learning that the school has complete teaching facilities, professional lecturers from both Cambodia and China can teach, and students can obtain academic and degree certificates from both countries.
“I hope to work in logistics management in the future,” said Suo Wanna. “I believe that the professional knowledge and skills I have learned here can help me better engage in related fields after graduation.”
On November 25, 2019, Li Zhi, a Cambodian international student majoring in Hydraulic Engineering at Northwest A&F University, was studying in his dormitory. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Yibo
Zhou Hui, a teacher majoring in Network Engineering Technology at the University of Applied Science and Technology of Cambodia, told reporters that most of the lecturers at the university are selected and sent from domestic undergraduate institutions in China. The teaching staff are all master’s degree or above and have rich teaching experience. The school is equipped with comprehensive teaching facilities, advanced experimental and training rooms, and computer rooms, which can meet the needs of professional learning. The school mainly adopts a combination of Chinese language training and professional skills education to enable students to master both Chinese and vocational skills, and meet the employment needs of enterprises after graduation.
Zhou Hui said that as soon as the first batch of undergraduate freshmen enrolled, Chinese funded enterprises threw olive branches at the school and “reserved” professional talents.
It is reported that the University of Applied Science and Technology of Cambodia has cooperated with enterprises through a school enterprise cooperation model in talent cultivation, professional construction, faculty construction, scientific research services, and other aspects. Based on the needs of enterprises and the characteristics of students, the school takes “skills+Chinese” as the entry point to help students improve various abilities and abilities, and serve the economic and social development of Cambodia.
In May 2018, the Cambodian Chinese Teacher Training Center classroom was filmed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Mao Pengfei
At the opening ceremony, a school enterprise cooperation award and scholarship ceremony was also held, and 63 outstanding students were awarded scholarships and targeted training scholarships through school enterprise cooperation.
Zheng Yuanlai, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cambodia and China, stated at the opening ceremony that the cooperation between the Board of Directors of Cambodia and Nanjing University of Industry and Technology to jointly build the University of Applied Science and Technology of Cambodia is aimed at creating a highland for vocational education and talent cultivation in Cambodia, and making contributions to deepening the friendship between Cambodia and China. He hopes that students can learn their skills and practice Chinese well, becoming pillars of Cambodia’s national development and ambassadors for deepening Cambodia China friendship.