Cambodia and Timor-Leste's education ministries have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on higher education, marking a significant step towards bolstering collaboration in science and cultural education. The agreement, part of the initial phase of the Pentagonal Strategy, was sealed by Cambodia's Minister of Education, Hang Chuon Naron, and his counterpart from Timor-Leste, Jose Honorio da Costa Pereira Jeronimo, in Phnom Penh.
Under the MoU, Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport is actively pursuing educational reforms geared towards enhancing learning quality across all levels. These reforms prioritize the integration of 21st-century skills, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, and adapting to evolving industry landscapes to address future labour market demands.
Minister Naron underscored the MoU's significance, highlighting its role in reinforcing bilateral cooperation in education, science, and culture. The partnership aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, foster student and faculty mobility, encourage collaborative research endeavours, and promote mutual recognition of academic qualifications.
The bilateral scholarship exchange program and collaborative research initiatives in higher education are specifically designed to enhance capacity building and human resource development in both countries.
Timor-Leste's Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture expressed enthusiasm for the MoU, considering it a pivotal milestone in the ongoing educational collaboration between the two nations. He also expressed gratitude towards the Cambodian government for its support in Timor-Leste's journey towards ASEAN membership and its assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to a Ministry of Education spokesperson, the MoU signifies a concerted effort to deepen cooperation in higher education and scientific endeavours. It aims to facilitate the exchange of information, promote academic publishing at the tertiary level, and foster closer ties between the two countries in the field of education and research.
