Cambodia: first Asia-Pacific country to benefit from the ENTREPRENDRE program

In a country undergoing rapid economic transformation, entrepreneurship is emerging as an essential driving force for development. In Cambodia, the ENTREPRENDRE initiative is part of this dynamic, aimed at promoting the spirit of innovation among students. This program, supported by the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEJS), will be a strategic response to the country's socio-economic challenges.

Cambodia, rich in tradition and modernization, has enjoyed sustained economic growth in recent decades. However, the Royal Government of Cambodia, under the impetus of its new pentagonal strategy, aspires to more resilient and inclusive growth. This strategy aims not only to create quality jobs, but also to reduce poverty and strengthen good governance. At the heart of this transformation is the development of skilled human resources, with a particular focus on young graduates. It is in this context that the ENTREPRENDRE program, designed and financed by the AUF, takes on its full importance.

To fully understand Cambodia's entrepreneurial ecosystem, the AUF, following Rector Slim Khalbous' mission to Cambodia in March 2023, commissioned a comprehensive study by international consultant Dr. Éric Mousset. The study, carried out in June 2024, mapped out the support and financing mechanisms available to student entrepreneurs. The diagnosis revealed significant gaps, such as undersized support offerings and disparities between university campuses. The recommendations arising from this survey, supported by the MEJS and the AUF, aim to fill these gaps through the creation of entrepreneurship hubs in conjunction with the AUF's Centres d'employabilité francophone (CEF) in Cambodia, and the development of inter-university partnerships.

The support of the MEJS is crucial to the success of this program. Mr. OM Romny, Secretary of State for Education, Youth and Sports, expressed his unconditional support for the program, saying it "will contribute significantly to the development of an entrepreneurial culture within Cambodian universities."

The Institut de Technologie du Cambodge (ITC) was subsequently chosen to pilot the creation of a national "Student-Entrepreneur" status. This project aims to institutionalize entrepreneurship as an integral component of the academic curriculum. According to Dr. BUN Long, ITC focal point, this status will enable students to benefit from increased support, including access to financial resources and mentoring systems. The initiative is also designed to attract investors, creating an environment conducive to the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs.

The ENTREPRENDRE program in Cambodia is not just an academic initiative. By promoting entrepreneurship among young people, Cambodia aspires to become a more competitive and sustainable economy through a profound transformation, where the innovation and creativity of young people will play a central role in the country's development.

Source: www.auf.org/nouvelles