Ajou's President Dong Yeon Kim visits Cambodia to discuss the overseas student business program

2015-10-27

Ajou University's President Dong Yeon Kim visited Cambodia for three days and four nights from October 21st to the 24th to discuss the operation of overseas business startup programs for students. During the visit, Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) were signed with the Phnom Penh Office of the Korea Trade Investment-Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and universities in Cambodia. An overseas business startup program for Ajou's students is expected to begin within this year based on the MOUs.

The overseas business startup program in Cambodia was arranged to help Ajou's students launch businesses abroad and to expand Ajou's cooperation and exchanges with local universities. The program, which will be operated along with KOTRA, will provide mentoring, management, training services, and one-year expenses to the students who are selected to take part. Participants are to develop business models (6 months) and conduct business incubation (6 months) with the support of local institutions and universities.

Regarding the program, Ajou concluded MOUs with KOTRA's Phnom Penh Office, Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP, the most prestigious national university in Cambodia), and University of Puthisastra (UP, a prominent private university). Officials from KOTRA's Phnom Penh Office plan to visit Ajou in November to give a briefing on the program, and the University is scheduled to select about ten students who will be sent to Cambodia by year's end.

During the visit, President Kim went to KOTRA's Phnom Penh Office to listen to the status of youth business startups, and he talked with students who are participating in the program over a meal. He then dropped by the sites of scenic agriculture and festival tourism, main items of the business startup program for Ajou's students.

President Kim's other activities during the recent visit included an MOU signing with the Information Communication Technology Association of Cambodia, a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly, an MOU signing with the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC), and a dinner at the invitation of the Korean ambassador to Cambodia. During his meetings with the UYFC President Hun Many, the third child of Prime Minister Hun Sen, and Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly, President Kim discussed ways of cooperation between Ajou and Cambodia and, in extension, between Korea and Cambodia.

Meanwhile, Vice President for External Relations Office Byung Chun So, who accompanied President Kim, visited Thai Nguyen University in Vietnam and signed an agreement on the 2+2 dual degree system involving Ajou and Thai Nguyen.

< Captions for pictures >
1. A scene from the MOU signing ceremony with KOTRA, Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia, and UP (top)
2. A scene from the MOU signing ceremony between Ajou and University of Puthisastra (UP. bottom)