The agreements signify a broader and deeper collaboration between the universities in the areas of Service-Learning (SL), exchange of students and staff, development of innovative academic programmes and research.
PolyU has been in strong ties with Cambodia since 2010 with a group of 20 students undertaking SL projects there. This summer, the number leaped to about 150 students and staff members. Among the successful SL projects, one of which was in collaboration with RUPP. PolyU and RUPP have mutually agreed to jointly establish a Global Service-Learning and Leadership Hub in Cambodia, signifying the beginning of a new phase of SL.
Under the agreement, a Global Service-Learning and Leadership Summer School will be set up, targeting committed student leaders from PolyU, RUPP as well as higher education institutions of other countries. The one-month summer school programme, featuring a wide range of educational activities, will serve as an intellectually rich, diverse and dynamic platform where students from different parts of the world will learn and research on issues together and enhance their leadership abilities through SL. Combined with other initiatives including Global Staff Attachment Programme and international symposium, the hub will scale new heights in global service-learning and leadership education.
These initiatives are in line with PolyU’s plan to deepen and broaden the impact of SL in three directions, namely integrating SL with leadership education; conducting research on SL pedagogy; and strengthening the internationalization of SL. In the case of Cambodia, PolyU is making a positive impact on the local community in terms of enhancing people’s livelihoods and well-being, improving living environment in local areas, and promoting good governance through ongoing SL projects. Those projects are of great variety, ranging from providing hospitality management and operation training, enhancing language literacy, designing and installing zero-carbon, solar-powered learning centres, to offering basic physical assessment and health education.
PolyU President Professor Timothy W. Tong remarked at the ceremony, “I am confident that with our concerted efforts, the two universities will join forces to create a vibrant and fruitful learning environment, and nurture students to become better global citizens. We look forward to working closely with our RUPP counterparts in the years to come.”
Dr Chealy Chet, Rector of RUPP said that the universities had been working closely previously, and the MoU was a further step to strengthen their collaboration, specifically on summer programmes, leadership training hub, service learning (in areas of science, technology, hygiene, education, solar energy), joint research activities, exchange of staff and students.
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