Understanding stakeholders' perspectives on recent initiatives to promote research and development in higher education in Cambodia

Abstract

This study aims to examine the perspectives of relevant stakeholders within Cambodian higher education on recent efforts to promote research and development in higher education in Cambodia. It draws on one-on-one interviews with 13 Cambodian policymakers, educational leaders, lecturers, and university students to collect in-depth qualitative data to understand how these stakeholders perceive the recent initiatives or projects to advance higher education research and development in Cambodia. The findings showed that all stakeholders were generally aware of the progress in research and development in Cambodian higher education; however, some of them could not identify specific initiatives or projects that had recently been introduced to promote research and development. The study highlighted major challenges that have constrained the advancement of research and development in Cambodian higher education, highlighting the challenging realities facing higher education in developing countries. It also offered some suggestions to foster greater research engagement and productivity of academics in Cambodia, which may be applicable to other countries with similar socioeconomic characteristics. The study concludes with a summary of key findings and discusses the study's limitations and implications for future research.