On 12 January 2022, the 3rd Build4People Curriculum Development Summit took place. The main aim of this event was to focus on the input from Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) side to determine how the Build4People team can support various courses at RUPP in regard of their curriculum development efforts.
After an informal joint exchange, Dr Michael Waibel as the Build4People project consortium representative and Dr Sok Vanny, the Vice-Rector RUPP gave a kind welcome speech.
Subsequently, Michael Waibel presented the general capacity mobilization approaches of the Build4People project. He stressed that the aspect of education plays besides carbon emissions an important role in sustainability transition and thus in sustainable urban transformation in Cambodia. Therefore, the Build4People team uses a state-of-the-art approach based upon an intricate three-phase research design.
The main tool of capacity development is curriculum development support. This also serves to feed in the refined Build4People research findings with a lasting impact and efforts depending on local demands.
Afterwards were RUPP teaching and curriculum development strategies introduced. Dr Sok Serey (RUPP) presented the strategic research and teaching plans of RUPP and referred to key strategies, research quality, intellectual property, grant management, among other things.
Dr Seak Sophat gave an overview about the Master of Science in Climate Change Program at RUPP and requests of support from Build4People. He explained the need of qualified lectures, guest lectures and supporting facilities at RUPP to technical courses e.g., GIS. Furthermore, he emphasizes exploring the international collaboration for staff capacity enhancement, student exchange, scholarship, etc.
Mr Bunleng Se gave a brief introduction of the new Master Course on Geography on RUPP. He explained that the aim of the MA program is to supply the need of geography experts in the Cambodian job market and to build human resources to meet the demand of society in the present and in the future. He clarified the financial and technical support needed, such as research funds or course design.
Dr Op Vanna then gave an overview of the curriculum development plans of Faculty of Psychology. He has already incorporated the concepts of environmental psychology into undergraduate and graduate curriculum at RUPP. He expressed his desire to provide the opportunity for staff of Department of Psychology to study the theoretical perspectives of environmental psychology at other Universities e.g. Magdeburg University.
After each input from RUPP side, the Build4People project members were already able to address fundamental aspects.
The conclusion of the event was that the participants should about the respective supports in more detail and that these will be discussed in further meetings that will take place before the envisaged trip to Cambodia in March 2022. Michael Waibel finally emphasized that the whole Build4People team gladly supports RUPP with their expertise.