University of Management and Economics (UME) president Tun Pheakdey (left) and Indian embassy second secretary Adarsh Kumar Mishra. Photo supplied
The Indian embassy on Wednesday held an event at the University of Management and Economics (UME) in Battambang province to raise awareness about education in India and scholarship schemes available for Cambodian students.
Speaking after the event, which was attended by more than 100 final-year students, UME president Tun Pheakdey told The Post on Thursday that the embassy wanted UME students to be aware of scholarship opportunities in India.
He said he would urge his students to study in India, but was not certain how many had sufficient ability.
“I am interested in medicine and information technology courses in India. I will try to explain the importance of studying these subjects and how India is strong in teaching IT and medicine.
“I think India’s education system, overall, is strong. I have seen that IT skills and products generated from India are respected.
“I know Indian medical care is also renowned because I have seen Cambodian people try to obtain medical services there,” he said.
Background on India
Indian embassy second secretary Adarsh Kumar Mishra said during his presentation at UME that India enjoys robust economic growth of approximately six to seven per cent and is one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia.
He said it is a global manufacturing hub with several multinational corporations such as General Motors, Ford, Suzuki and Hyundai.
Many more multinationals in various fields are investing in the country and making India their manufacturing hub, Mishra said, spurred by the launch of the Make in India government programme in 2014.
Mishra told the students that they would also have the opportunity to expose themselves to a world-class service industry.
He said India had a diverse culture which was very similar to Cambodia’s. Buddhism originated in India, he pointed out, and the countries have close religious and cultural links.
“World Heritage Sites like Angkor Wat and other temples of Hindu deities connect India with Cambodia,” Mishra said.
Why study in India?
Mishra said India has been a major seat of learning for thousands of years, with Takshashila being the first university in the world.
Nalanda University near Rajgir was created in 2010 to emulate the famous Nalanda of ancient India, widely considered to be the greatest of all ancient monasteries and the world’s first residential institution. It functioned for over 800 years, starting from around 400AD.
Mishra said the university has been revived with modern facilities and three schools of learning – historical studies; ecology and environmental studies; and Buddhist studies, philosophy and comparative religion.
Two scholarship places are available to study a masters degree under the CLMV (Cambodia, Lao, Myanmar and Vietnam) programme, he said.
“India today is popular with international students from all over the world. It’s highly attractive with low living costs, world-class education, a growing economy and increasing employment opportunities.
“English, the common language of communication for almost all nations in the world, opens avenues for employment in many countries.
“Studying in India offers an opportunity to live and study in one of the world’s most exciting countries, and India has gained a reputation for innovation and expertise in education,” Mishra said.
Benefits of studying in India
He added that India’s high quality education comes at a low cost and said: “Indian educational institutions such as the IITs [Indian Institutes of Technology], the IIMs [Indian Institutes of Management], the NITs [National Institutes of Technology] and the IISc [Indian Institute of Science], are renowned worldwide for their high standards of education.
“Some unique courses – such as Ayurveda, Sanskrit, yoga and Hindi are examples of courses that enthuse many international students.
“Yoga has recently been recognised worldwide with the establishment by the UN in 2014 of International Day of Yoga which is celebrated throughout the world every year on June 21.
“Ayurveda is an ancient form of Indian medicine completely based on herbs and plants.”
Mishra said financial assistance was available for various scholarships to Indian educational institutions such as the IITs, Jawaharlal Nehru University and the National Law School of India University.
Where can students study?
He said most academic institutions in India have international student offices, and courses for international students are offered all over the country.
“International students can apply for engineering or applied arts courses at most institutions.
“The government has reserved some seats for foreign students and various international scholarships are also offered – from graduate and post-graduate levels to doctorates and post-doctorates – in various study areas,” Mishra said.
He said students can find further information through the embassy’s website – www.embindpp.gov.in – its Facebook page – @IndiaInCambodia – local newspapers such as The Phnom Penh Post, Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, and from the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.
