University of Cambodia

This article investigates the structural paradox characterizing Cambodia-U.S. relations in the post-Cold War period, in which the persistence of political and security friction coexists with functional cooperation. The study identifies policy areas in which China’s emergence as an unconditional patron creates tension with the U.S., and analyzes mechanisms through which Chinese support enables Cambodia to evade U.S. normative pressure on democracy and human rights. Using an analytic eclecticism approach that combines structural realism and liberal institutionalism, the study conducts a qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews with 13 elite informants, including Cambodian government officials, U.S. diplomats, and analysts. The findings demonstrate that China’s multidimensional assistance (economic, military, and diplomatic) has significantly undermined Western normative leverage, forcing Cambodia to pursue a dual-track strategy that focuses conflict in the high-politics domain (security, governance) and maintains cooperation in the low-politics domain (trade, development assistance, public health). This pattern generates a state of managed contradiction, which compartmentalizes the coexistence of political hostility and functional cooperation without progressing towards normative convergence or bilateral breakdown. The study makes an empirical contribution by tracing how patron diversification reshapes small-state agencies and by showing that alternative patronage enables states to resist normative pressure while preserving selective cooperation in an era of great-power competition.

Organic fermented foods represent an important component of sustainable food systems, combining traditional processing methods with growing consumer demand for natural, minimally processed, and health-promoting products. Microorganisms play a central role in organic fermentation by driving biochemical transformations that enhance food safety, nutritional value, sensory attributes, and shelf life. The selection of appropriate microbial strains is therefore critical to ensuring consistent product quality while meeting strict organic and food safety standards. This review examines potential microbial strains used in organic fermented foods, with emphasis on safety assessment, functional properties, and impacts on product quality. Key groups including lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and selected beneficial bacteria are evaluated in terms of their technological performance, probiotic potential, and ability to suppress spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. The review further discusses challenges related to strain variability, contamination risks, and regulatory compliance in organic production systems. By synthesizing recent findings from food microbiology, fermentation science, and biotechnology, this work provides a comprehensive framework for selecting and managing microbial strains to support safe, functional, and high-quality organic fermented foods.

The Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport (MoEYS) prioritizes three key outcomes: enhanced academic achievement, positive student attitudes, and the adoption of cooperative learning as a core pedagogical approach. While previous research in developing countries has explored the field, such as often featured limited sample sizes and short durations, necessitating further research to bridge these gaps. Accordingly, this study investigates the relationship between students’ attitudes toward cooperative learning and academic achievement within the context of New Generation School (NGS) in Cambodia. This explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design was employed to address the research objectives. The convenient sample comprised 422 NGS students from grade 7 and grade 10. Additionally, three teachers and five students were purposefully selected for semi-structured interviews. Data collection instruments included the research for data were of a five-point Likert scale questionnaires and interview protocols, synthesized and developed by this researcher. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics via Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program (henceforth, SPSS), while qualitative data were processed through content analysis. Main Findings: The findings revealed that the NGS students in both grade 7 and 10 possess highly positive attitudes toward cooperative learning, as measured by the ABC (Affective, Behavioral, and Cognitive) model. These attitudes are rooted in the students’ attitudes towards cooperative learning focuses on its value and benefits. Participants particularly valued cooperative learning for its contribution to social and cognitive development, stress reduction, enjoyment, and learning performance, all of which ultimately contribute to better educational outcomes. However, they had some concerns, including time-consuming, conflicting interests, and potential grade drawbacks in terms of their final course grade. Furthermore, Grade 10 students exhibited more favorable attitudes and higher achievement scored compared to grade 7 students. Statistical analysis a significant difference between the two grade levels regarding their emotional engagement with cooperative learning (p = 0.000). Regarding perceived academic performance, the significance value was 0.011 (at the p < 0.05). Qualitative data further confirmed that teachers perceived cooperative learning as valuable instructional strategy fostering students engaged and motivated. The study recommends the broader implementation of cooperative learning frameworks in classrooms and the transforming of educational institutions into learning communities. The study revealed that cooperative learning improves social skills, cognitive growth, and stress reduction, but students are also concerned about efficiency and fairness in grading. Accordingly, this study shed light on the practical and emotional problems of cooperative learning that were generally missed in the literature. The findings would also provide a more complete knowledge of cooperative learning's adoption in education by bridging theoretical advantages and real-world student concerns.

This chapter explores how Cambodian higher education EFL teachers construct and negotiate their professional identities amid rapid technological integration and pedagogical change. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 15 teachers from diverse institutions, the chapter adopts a sociocultural and post-structural lens to examine identity as a dynamic, contextually situated process. Findings reveal that teachers' identity work is marked by adaptation, emotional labor, and resilience as they navigate tensions between traditional practices and digital innovation. Institutional disparities, policy pressures, and uneven professional development both challenges and opportunities for agency and growth. The chapter argues about integrating identity awareness into teacher education, designing context-sensitive professional development, and fostering institutional cultures that empower teachers as reflective professionals and change agents. Implications extend to policy and practice in developing contexts undergoing educational transformation.

Parental involvement plays a crucial role in shaping students’ academic outcomes. The study investigates the relationships between SES, parental involvements, parental self-efficacy, expectations, beliefs, and student academic achievement in Cambodian lower secondary schools. Using quantitative research design, data were collected from 351 parents through self-administered surveys. A mediation analysis was conducted to assess the direct and indirect effects of parental involvement. Findings indicate that home-based parental involvement positively predicts student achievement, while school-based involvement has a negative effect. Parental expectations emerged as a significant mediator, reinforcing the role of parental aspirations in academic success. However, self-efficacy exhibited a negative effect on achievement. SES was the strongest predictor of student achievement, highlighting its critical influence on access to educational resources. The study contributes to the growing literature on parental involvement in developing countries and highlights the need for context-specific strategies that align with Cambodia’s educational landscape.