The event also celebrated Cambodian academic staff and students who have been awarded a scholarship under the European Union “Erasmus+ programme”. In the past three years alone, the EU has provided grants to almost 200 Cambodian students and academic staff to pursue their degrees, including joint master degrees, or deliver teaching and training, in European universities.

Yesterday’s event at the EU Delegation was well attended. Over one hundred young Cambodians from more than 20 public and private universities turned-up at the European Scholarship Fair at the EU Delegation. University scholarship of both the European Union and its Members States (Czechia, France, Germany, Hungary and Poland) were presented. The representatives of the Minister of Education, Youth and Sports strongly supported the event by highlighting the importance of quality education.

“Education is not only a fundamental human right, but also essential for the achievement of all SDGs in the 2030 Agenda. Investing in Education is the most powerful investment any country can make to promote economic growth and jobs. The opportunities that the 21st century and the digital transition offer we need a transformative education that focuses on quality and equality, and embraces digital tools. We need to step up our commitments to invest and finance education. ”- said HE Carmen Moreno, the EU Ambassador to Cambodia.

“Scholarships to Europe, financed by the Erasmus+ or by the very generous bilateral programmes of the European Member States, are great tools to increase the knowledge of Cambodian graduates so that the country get the benefit of ASEAN integration and of the 4th Industrial revolution,” – said H.E. Dr SOM Ratana, Under Secretary of State, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS).

Erasmus+ is the flagship European Union’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport, with a budget of EUR 26.2 billion over the period of 2021-2027. Via Erasmus+ and several other programmes, the European Union promotes the quality of higher education in Cambodia and provides the opportunities for exchange of teachers and students between Cambodia and Europe. Only on the last 3 years (2020, 2021, 2022) over 129 Cambodian students 59 teachers had the chance to study at various European universities.