Objectives and Justification

The higher education sub-sector will continue to provide and expand to access to higher education while at the same time safeguarding quality to ensure that Cambodia’s economic, social and market needs are met in the areas of intellectual development and human resource provision. Pro-poor access will be addressed through merit driven scholarships, especially for girls. Some priority will be given to students enrolling for less market oriented and more socially beneficial programs, especially education, health, agriculture, science and mathematics.

Targets and Indicators » Up

• Increase overall enrolment in higher education institutions (HEIs) from 46,845 in 2004-05 to 90,000 with 40% female by 2010

• Increase overall enrolment in public HEIs 7,963 in 2004-05 to 36,000 with 33% female by 2010.

• Increase enrolment in Science, Technology and Mathematics in public and private HEIs to 20,000 by 2010.

• Develop detail basic criteria for establishment of an HEI by 2006

• Review of HEIs to ensure compliance with the basic criteria for establishment of an HEI, by 2007.

MoEYS strategy for higher education is to expand and strengthen a growing public/private partnership⁵ to achieve equitable access and improved quality in the management and delivery of higher education. The main role of the public provider, the MoEYS, is twofold. Firstly, to ensure equitable access through the provision of selected courses in public institutions and merit-based scholarships to selected students. Secondly, in liaison with the Accreditation Committee of Cambodia (ACC), to monitor and ensure acceptable levels of quality are provided by both the public and private higher education institutions⁶. This program will be linked to the proposed higher education capital development fund and possible introduction of a higher education student loan scheme. The ministry also aims to expand the teaching of science and technology by increasing the teaching force at selected public HEIs.

Main Programmes and Activities » Up

• Enhance quality of higher education to meet the labour markets demands through providing budget for institutional operation and research activities to HEIs governed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport and other ministries not funded by the PAP mechanism. These budgets are based on the number of scholarship students and cost of the programs.

• Increased number of scholarships particularly for female students, students from poor families, disabled and students from remote areas/undeserved areas to study at HEIs through the supporting and operating budget provided to the HEIs. The main priority group will be public HEIs providing socially beneficial programs, especially related to education, health, agriculture, sciences and mathematics.

• Improve quality of teaching and learning aids, and expand science, technology and mathematics programs in all public and private HEIs. These programs will be linked to the proposed higher education facilities development fund in the capital program.

• Construct dormitories for students from provinces, especially female students.

• Establish credit loan scheme for students.

• Establish regional public HEIs phase by phase.

• Advocate for use of core textbooks in Khmer language in HEI.

• Monitor, review and assess curriculum framework for HEI.

• Develop criteria for university teachers’ status/title based on qualifications, experience, and capacity.

• Strengthen the admissions process based on performance in grade 12 examinations.

• Review the selection criteria and financing formula for each HEI, taking account of fee levels and demand and improve governance and management of HEIs through increased transparency and accountability of all financing of higher education, including Government contributions, student fees and private sector contributions in cash and in kind

• Increase opportunities for student transfer and progression between private and public institutions through accreditation and credit transfer arrangements

Program Management and Monitoring » Up

The funds for the institutional support and operation will be directly managed through selected higher education institutions, against agreed annual scholarship allocations. Department of Higher Education will be responsible for quality assurance and monitoring.

The Department of Higher Education will be responsible for preparing an annual planning framework, including scholarship expenditure priorities and budget allocations to individual HEIs. Individual HEIs will prepare an annual work plan, including improvement targets, action plans and budget for use of these funds across individual faculties and departments. They will submit for approval through BMC of Department of Higher Education (DHE). The program funds will be directly managed through HEIs.

The Department of Higher Education will conduct progress and impact monitoring focusing on student attendance; performance and other related scholarship funding and undertake technical monitoring of institutional BMCs and efficiency of performance of HEIs through half-yearly visits. A monitoring report will be presented to Ministry leaders through BMC of Department of Higher Education. The annual report will contain performance measures submitted by institutions for improvement targets in their work plan. MoEYS will arrange sample technical audits and sample internal financial audits.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MoEYS) will continue to adopt decentralized policy in administering higher education (HE) sub-sector through encouraging each HEI to set up its system of governance and management with transparency and accountability. The expected features are: creation of governing board in each HEI and review of DHE’s responsibilities in policy and planning formulation, and monitoring in order to ensure the quality, efficiency and equitable access in higher education. Within this direction, MoEYS will develop a vision and action plan for HE sub-sector. It is anticipated that the vision and action plan will be finalized by 2006.

Financing Plan » Up

Financing plan for increasing enrolment in higher education is based on budget of institutional support and operation for individual HEIs.

Table 6: Im proving Quality, Efficiency and Equitable Access in Higher Education

Activities	Costs in Riels millions
	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
1. Institutional support and operation	5,340	5,810	6,300	6,770	7,240
2. Strengthening of monitoring system and quality in HE	160	190	200	230	260
Resources: total	5,500	6,000	6,500	7,000	7,500

Capacity Development needs » Up

• Improve capacity of university teachers to include in-country training and research activities.

• Build capacity for strategic leadership and performance monitoring within the Department of Higher Education.

• Support the further strengthening of planning, accounting and financial management systems together with provision of information system equipment and materials.

• Operational support for Department of Higher Education in policy analysis and formulation and monitoring to improve access equity, quality and institutional management linked to the establishment of a Higher Education Management Information System.

⁵ The Public contribution to the partnership is the provision of selected courses, student scholarships and quality assurance and institutional accreditation. The private contribution is primarily the provision of private courses, but may also extend to support and collaboration in areas such as private scholarships, work-based sandwich courses, departmental or institutional sponsorships, research sponsorships, and asset sharing (conference centres, dormitories, labs) and so on

⁶ The exact roles and responsibilities of the two bodies is under negotiation at present