Minister of Education Hang Chuon Naron presided over the renewal of the memorandum of understanding on supporting and expanding the Smart Start Unipreneur Learning Platform on May 29.
As part of their ongoing efforts to strengthen entrepreneurship and leadership in Cambodia, Smart Axiata and Impact Hub Phnom Penh (IHPP), along with 17 universities across the country, have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the SmartStart Unipreneur Learning Platform (ULP).
The renewal ceremony on May 29 was presided over by Minister of Education, Youth and Sport Hang Chuong Naron, the CEOs of Smart Asiata and IHPP, and representatives from a number of universities.
“Through this partnership, we will continue to inspire entrepreneurship and foster innovation by supporting instructors in delivering blended curricula,” said Smart Axiata CEO Ziad Shatala.
“We hope to directly engage with more than 2,500 students in more than 50 classes by the end of 2024,” he added.
Launched in 2019, SmartStart ULP was established to equip young learners with essential skills and entrepreneurial thinking for the 21st century.
The platform offers a comprehensive learning approach that combines classroom instruction with practical experiences, including on-site visits to local startups.
The program culminates with a business presentation event, providing students with a realistic assessment of their skills.
Over the past four years, SmartStart ULP has had a major impact on the education community by integrating project-based learning into college curricula.
“So far, the program has provided 1,413 students from 44 classes across 10 universities with valuable experience in their fields of study and led to the creation of 25 startup companies, each addressing a different market need,” the joint press release stated.
Key outcomes of the platform include narrowing the skills gap between students and job market demand, fostering entrepreneurship and addressing the need for Khmer curriculum content.
The program has also strengthened entrepreneurial education through partnerships with universities, knowledge transfer to instructors and an annual “national hackathon” where students collaborate on real-world problems.
The press release explained that the expansion of the program through an updated memorandum of understanding with 10 existing universities and seven new partners underscores the program’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities.
The expanded network aims to provide more students with the tools, knowledge and resources they need to succeed in the digital world, it added.
The scope of the programme is further strengthened by support from the CBRD Fund and collaboration with 17 universities, including the Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology, Phuttisastra University, Royal University of Law and Economics, and other universities in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Svay Rieng provinces.
“We launched the programme as a pilot in four universities in Phnom Penh in 2019. The success of the trial and strong interest from university partners outside Phnom Penh motivated us to expand the course to other provinces,” explained Kim Kosoma, CEO of IHPP.
Kosoma said as part of the partnership, the company is providing students with a dedicated learning platform where they can learn from their mobile phones or laptops. Through the platform, students will have access to 15 sessions that teach them how to formulate business ideas.
He added that university students participating in the course will gain a deeper understanding of entrepreneurship, develop their entrepreneurial mindset and improve their employability and life skills.
“We want students to be able to exchange ideas through business competitions that they learn about in class and test their ideas in the market,” said Chown Phearn, campus director at Build Bright University in Siem Reap.
“It will be beneficial for students to get a small amount of capital to kick-start their business ideas,” he added.
