Second Workshop on Sub-Sector Higher Education Result-Based
Planning and Monitoring
Sam Sophorn (Assistant to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs)
Dr. Y Ratana (Dean of Undergraduate Studies Division and Director of AFD) and Mr. Sam Sophorn (Assistant to the Vice-President for Academic Affairs) attended this workshop at Apsara Angkor Resort and Conference Centre in Siem Reap on December 3-7, 2012. The meeting was organized by the Department of Higher Education and presented by Mr. Beng Simeth, Senior Human Development Operation Officer, World Bank.
In his keynote address, H.E. Mak Nhoy, Director of the General Department of Higher Education, indicated that the goal of the workshop was for each institution to produce a result matrix on how their plans can be achieved in response to the Royal Government of Cambodia’s human resource development goals as stated in the Education Strategic Plan 2009-2013 and the National Strategic Development Plan 2011.
Three policy objectives for higher education over the period 2013-8 had been discussed in the first workshop:
1. Ensuring Equitable Access to Edu-cation Services
2. Improving the Quality and Effi-ciency of Education Services
3. Institutional and Capacity Develop-ment of Education Staff for Decentralization
Based on the results from the first workshop and the World Bank report in 2012 on Putting Higher Education to Work (see also article on The University of Cambodia and Human Capital development: p. 11 in this issue), the second workshop aimed to get Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to each develop a Results-Based Planning and Monitoring (RBPM) Matrix 2014-2018, to be sent to the Department of Higher Education by 28 December 2012. Thus “Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) shall have their own plan to help achieve the national plan as well as to meet the market needs in ASEAN and to push Cambodia to be a middle income country by 2030”.
Thereafter, Mr. Beng Simeth noted that the RBPM Matrix was developed with 16 HEIs who attended the first workshop held in October (see previous article). As soon as RBPM Matrices have been submitted by each HEI to DHE for compilation into a central RBPM Matrix at the end of 2012, a third workshop would then be held at the policy level by presenting the compilation to relevant ministers.
Mr. Simeth then discussed about the problems of skills production by Cambodian HEIs and the disconnects between employers, research institutions, HEIs and training providers, and earlier education.
Mr. Simeth also presented on how to fill in the three worksheets of the RBPM Matrix, one for each of the three policy objectives discussed in the first workshop, in relation the ACC’s Nine Standards.
Additional points discussed during the workshop included:
H.E Mak Nhoy advised that there are • eight priority programs called “Mutual Recognition Arrangements” (MRAs) to be implemented by ASEAN Economic Community in 2015: these will enable professional services providers in eight fields (Engineering, Architecture, Surveying, Nursing, Medical Practitioners, Dental Practitioners, Accountancy and Tourism Professionals) to work elsewhere in ASEAN.
Tracer studies can help to find out about • graduates’ employment and whether they are matched to what is expected of them: Mr. Simeth suggested that HEIs could get information from their graduates when they came back to get their certificates.
HEIs were requested to submit their RBPM Matrices by 28 December 2012. The DHE would compile these by December 30 2012 and prepare a three-year action plan and budget 2013-2015 by mid-January, followed by an Annual Operational Plan and Budget for 2013.
