University of Puthisastra continues to made history for Cambodia by:
1. Becoming the first and only Cambodian university to be ranked in over 1400 of the World’s Top Universities in the famous Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
2. Becoming a top 500 university for the Sustainable Development Goals by the United Nations.
3. Becoming the Top 28th private university in ASEAN
4. Achieving 100% pass rates in National Exit Exam
5. Achieving more than 200 research publications
These are significant achievements for a small university in the region.
UP is committed to providing high-quality education and research.

At UP, we offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including Cambodia only dedicated research degree, the Bachelor of Science t(Research). UP’s research is focused on addressing the challenges facing Cambodia, such as poverty, climate change, and health care.

UP’s students are already reaping the benefits of the university’s focus on quality education. In 2022, UP students achieved 100% success in the National Exit Exams and UP graduates consistently achieve the best jobs with the highest salaries. This is a testament to UP’s commitment to high-quality teaching and the dedication of its staff.

UP’s success is a source of pride for Cambodia. The university is helping to raise the country’s profile on the international stage and is providing a pathway for Cambodian students to achieve their full potential. UP graduates are Cambodia’s ambassadors to the world.

UP is committed to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UP is a top 500 university for the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs are a set of 17 goals that were adopted by the United Nations in 2015. The goals aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030.

UP’s research is focused on addressing the challenges facing Cambodia, such as poverty, climate change, and health care. The university’s research is helping to develop solutions that will benefit the Cambodian people.
UP is also committed to educating students about the SDGs. The university’s curriculum includes courses on sustainable development, and students are encouraged to participate in projects that promote the SDGs.

UP’s Impact on Cambodia

UP’s success is having a positive impact on Cambodia. The university is helping to raise the country’s profile on the international stage and is providing a pathway for Cambodian students to achieve their full potential.
UP is also helping to develop Cambodia’s research capacity. The university’s research is helping to address the challenges facing Cambodia, and it is also helping to train the next generation of Cambodian researchers.
UP is a valuable asset to Cambodia. At UP, we are helping to build a better future for the country.

“Cambodia is an incredible country and world needs to know it. UP’s education success is putting Cambodia on the world stage for talent, research and importantly investment and economic prosperity – building Cambodia’s future. Its no coincidence that the worlds most powerful countries focus on strong education and STEM – UP is doing its part by creating a pool of home-grown Cambodian talent to be tomorrows leaders.”

“Quality Assurance plays an essential role in all sectors, including education, business, agriculture, industry, etc. In the education sector, quality assurance improved student outcomes, increase transparency, improves accountability, and promotes innovation. Therefore, UP puts huge effort into quality assurance to ensure the quality of students’ learning outcomes are the very best they can be. 5 years of being accredited by the ACC and UP’s many international recognitions is concrete evidence of these commitments.”

“Change and growth is exciting but also messy and complicated. Whilst change can sometimes be painful, it also makes us better, stronger, and more powerful! If we don’t change we get left behind. UP has SUCCESSFULLY transitioned from old traditional systems to become a world-class higher education system in Learning & Teaching (UPOP, online learning), Governance (Boards & committees), Administration (student management system – UPERP), and student achievements. We provide integrity & transparent administration, and academic excellence – this is just the outcome of 4 years’ changes! More excitement to come!”

“Being a leadership member UP, I am very proud and happy to see the strong commitment and contribution of UP to education to drive academic quality, financial transparency and financial compliance resulting in UP achieving unqualified financial audit report Year 2022 from external auditor, Grant Thornton (Cambodia) Limited.”

“UP’s Foundation Year has grown so much, doubling the skilled and knowledgeable lecturers in our team and increasing the opportunities for engagement and academic development we are able to offer to new incoming students ensuring they are ready for success. We are helping more students than ever before adjust to university life, make lifelong friends, and develop the tools and habits needed for success in their studies and their future careers.”

“The Faculty of Medicine at UP is the only university in Cambodia that regularly organizes Pre-Hospital Training courses to prepare its students for the challenges of hospital rotations (clerkships and internships). This has been made possible by the huge UP investments in state-of-the-art simulation equipment”

“Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery is proud to share that we have successfully completed the curriculum upgrade for the Bachelor of Nursing Science. We have also implemented the new curriculum for the Associate Degree in Nursing, ensuring that our students receive the most up-to-date education. Moreover, we have played a pivotal role in launching a new short course on Dysphagia (swallowing problems), catering to the needs of healthcare professionals. As a result of our efforts, the number of nursing students has dramatically increased, a testament to the excellent academic preparation and career opportunities provided by UP. This growth is a reflection of the trust that students and parents have in UP. The faculty of Nursing and Midwifery at UP also provides continuing professional development for nurses and midwives, ensuring that they stay updated and continue to excel in their respective fields. We are proud to be part of UP!”

“When we want to succeed, we need to prepare. If we are well prepared, we have a better opportunity of succeeding. On behalf of the FHS&B at University of Puthisastra (UP) I am proud to say that we provide high quality, innovative, and global skills to prepare our students in both Medical Laboratory and Science Research (the only research degree in Cambodia) for the high professional practice and make positive impacts to society. This has been made possible by the huge UP investments and strengthening academic integrity policies and our focus on Knowledge, Skills, and attitudes as well as critical thinking, soft skills, Computer, and English.”

“I am extremely proud of UP achievements in expanding our market presence and delivering exceptional results year after year, for example the recent UP Discovery Festival that draws 4,600+ visitors. Our diverse team brings different perspectives, ultimately leading to breakthrough solutions and students’ satisfaction.”

“I am very proud of our team who have made consistent efforts to move forward and expand ourselves to reach our potentials and beyond”

“The last year has seen many successes in dentistry at UP. We have built a second dental hospital, with 22 new chairs and a state-of-the-art advanced CBCT imaging machine. This is providing a lot more clinical experience for our students – far more than at other Cambodian dental schools. Along with the new Dental Hospital, we have employed more staff, and established a special 6 chair unit, where postgraduate students in orthodontics, endodontics and implantology will be treating patients. We are particularly proud to be starting a new Masters in Orthodontics course this year for Cambodian dentists, as well as setting up several courses for overseas and local dentists with international partners. Other achievements in the past year include a large number of scientific papers published and presentations by staff and students at several conferences. The student exchange programs have started again with UP dentistry students travelling to UiTM in Malaysia, Universitas Indonesia, Khon Kaen University in Thailand, UNE in the USA, and Denriche clinics in Japan. We estimate that at least half our students will have had the opportunity to go on exchange, or to attend an overseas conference, by the time they graduate. UP continues to invest a lot of money in new equipment, including 2 new compressors, an intraoral scanner, a 3D printer, and new apex locators and hand-help Xray machines. In 2022 we completed our first Diploma of Implantology with teachers from Australia and Cambodia. We also delivered over 100 hours of CPD for dentists, many with top international speakers. We hosted 2 major conferences (SEAADE and ICD) and hosted several visiting guest lecturers. Using online learning, we recruited a number of expert lecturers from Malaysia to teach our students in areas where expertise is lacking here in Cambodia. In addition, the Faculty supported over 40 students to complete their thesis. UP has also been able to contribute significantly to the development of the new national dental curriculum. All these achievements have only been possible through the hard work of our dedicated staff and the support of UP. Dentistry at UP is very highly regarded within the dental profession in Cambodia, by the public, and by the Ministry of Health. We hope we can continue to get better and better in the years ahead.” programs have started again with UP dentistry students travelling to UiTM in Malaysia, Universitas Indonesia, Khon Kaen University in Thailand, UNE in the USA, and Denriche clinics in Japan. We estimate that at least half our students will have had the opportunity to go on exchange, or to attend an overseas conference, by the time they graduate. UP continues to invest a lot of money in new equipment, including 2 new compressors, an intraoral scanner, a 3D printer, and new apex locators and hand-help Xray machines. In 2022 we completed our first Diploma of Implantology with teachers from Australia and Cambodia. We also delivered over 100 hours of CPD for dentists, many with top international speakers. We hosted 2 major conferences (SEAADE and ICD) and hosted several visiting guest lecturers. Using online learning, we recruited a number of expert lecturers from Malaysia to teach our students in areas where expertise is lacking here in Cambodia. In addition, the Faculty supported over 40 students to complete their thesis. UP has also been able to contribute significantly to the development of the new national dental curriculum. All these achievements have only been possible through the hard work of our dedicated staff and the support of UP. Dentistry at UP is very highly regarded within the dental profession in Cambodia, by the public, and by the Ministry of Health. We hope we can continue to get better and better in the years ahead.”

“As the Secretary of the president of the University of Puthisastra, is to make sure the work is of the highest standard ethics and act as the eyes and ears of the leaders to ensure effective communication and decision-making.”

“We are committed to providing our students with the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. That’s why next year we will be launching a Bachelor of Arts in English, Business, and Entrepreneurship, a unique degree in Cambodia, that will equip them with the skills they need to become the next leaders of tomorrow.”

“The rapid growth of UP over the year is the result of each staff’s goal oriented and commitments”

Times Higher Education: Masterclass at University of Puthisastra

It was with great excitement and celebration that the University of Puthisastra (UP) achieved a remarkable and exhilarating milestone by being listed on the prestigious Times Higher Education rankings (THE) in the previous year, 2022. This momentous achievement is a testament to the unwavering dedication and commitment of the university’s faculty, staff, and students to excellence in education, which fosters and enhances the university’s reputation on a global scale, attracting top-tier faculty and students from around the world through comprehensive support services on health science and non-health science programs, including academic advising, career counseling, and extracurricular activities, to ensure that students receive a well-rounded education.

This achievement is a result of the university’s relentless pursuit of all aspects of its operations by renowned experts in their respective fields, bringing a wealth of knowledge and hands-on research experience to the classroom in order to initiate engaging and interactive lectures on students’ inspiration and motivation to accomplish their full potential and succeed in their target professions.

For this reason, the Times Higher Education team collaborates closely with UP to offer a one-day masterclass to all representatives of higher education institutions in Cambodia on October 18th, 2023, at UP regarding specific criteria and requirements about THE’s Impact Rankings, data analysis, global profile, and internalization, which will benefit and contribute to the overall growth and development of Cambodian universities.

QLTS’s Training on “Effectiveness at Work”

Learning and Teaching Team-QLTS provided a staff training development on “Effectiveness at Work” at Hall-B on June 30, 2023. The purpose of this training aims to motivate staff to perform their daily work well and achieve productive results in a timely and professional manner through the correct implementation of the practical and critical tips such as thinking positively to develop good thinking habit of working which will enable employees to overcome challenges in life and to influence other people with optimistic ideas and appreciation, classifying priority to get tasks into correct category of Important and Urgent, Important but not Urgent, Not Important but Urgent and Not important and not urgent so that staff can understand precisely to get first thing done first, showing responsibility and initiative to increase higher commitment, accountability and proactivity that can push the work to meet the deadline with quality results, time management to use time wisely by setting priority, plan, deadline, monitoring progress and review result with SMART method and on any time management tool as preferred, team building, communicating and networking to foster trust, relationship and support among teammates through good listening, solving conflicts, giving feedback and sharing responsibilities, stress management to recognize types of stress and their symptoms so that staff can identify useful ways to release stress and maintain a balance between working life and personal life, and last but not least is about self-evaluation and reflection to recognize about one’s strengths and improvements for new goals setting through SWOT analysis method. Expectedly, participants will receive explicit explanations and examples and apply those illustrations in their workplace to reach their highest potential for effectiveness at work.

11TH UNIDENT-UP IMPLANT COURSE OPENS

Last week UP and the Unident Company proudly opened their 11th implant course for Cambodian dentists. The 20 participants will take part in a series of theory, lab and clinical activities over the coming months, using high quality implants from the Dentsply Sirona company. The Director of the course is Dr Chav Bunhean DDS Dip Perio MSc (Implantology) who is widely regarded as one of Cambodia’s top implant dentists. He is assisted by Dr Peung Kimsrean DDS MSc and Dr Keo Preksa DDS PhD, both of whom are lecturers at UP. The course was opened by President Prof Ian Findlay, who spoke about the long positive relationship UP has had with Unident over many years, and how both organizations strive for high quality dental education through courses such as these. UP is very happy to be helping improve the standard of dental treatment, including dental implants, in Cambodia, and we look forward to further collaborations in the future

New Intake for the Master Program!

We are excited to announce that the Faculty of ICT is preparing for welcoming the new intake 2023-2024 and scholarship exam for the MSIT which the exam will take place on the 02. September and the intake will be starting in November 2023.

The Visit of University of Sydney to University of Puthisastra in “One Health Project”

On Monday, July 03, 2023, Prof Ian Findlay, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Puthisastra (UP), and Mr. LY Chanvatanak, Director of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology, with other leadership members of UP gave a warm welcome to Ms. Leanne Howie, Manager, Global Health Initiatives, and Assoc Prof. Justin Beardsley, Professor of infectious diseases who is working on “One Health Project” with students from the University of Sydney (USyd).

The purpose of this visit is to discuss the future feasible collaboration between UP and USyd and the visit around UP Health Center, UP Laboratories, and UP campus.

Successfully conduct public IT seminar on the topic “Cyber Security Cambodia 2023”

The Faculty of ICT co-organized with the Sunrise Institute to conduct the Seminar on the topic of the “Cybersecurity Cambodia 2023” at the Hall H of the University of Puthisastra. The topic covered on the Cyber Security areas as well as the panel discussion such as Offensive Security, Defensive Security Risk Governance and Compliance Cloud Data Security Life Cycle sharing from the IT Experts from different field and Industries.

Demo Day of Digital Platform Accelerator Cohort2”

The Faculty of ICT team members attended the “Demo Day of Digital Platform Accelerator Cohort2” which is organized by Techo Start Up Center which the Program’s theme focuses on the banking and Decentralized Finance. ICT have also accepted to be the partner of “Reverse Innovation – Cohort3” and a group ICTstudents is ready to attend the Cohort3.

University of Puthisastra Arranged an Internal Training for UP Quality Assurance Committee

The University of Puthisastra’s main mission is a commitment to the values of excellence, integrity, tolerance, diversity, innovation, and service. This is the reason why internal quality is the top priority for UP. UP believes that through academic programs, exchanges, and international and local partnerships, UP students acquire and apply leadership values, enabling them to set professional standards as leaders in their field.Therefore, on July 3, 2023, UP held one important internal training for UP Quality Assurance Committee. The main objective of the training is to demonstrate UP’s commitment to joining other universities in Cambodia in the Higher Education Improvement Project (HEIP), which is under the Department of Higher Education-MoEYs to aim to raise the standard of higher education in Cambodia in order to support the national strategies for year 2030 and 2050.

On this occasion, Dr. Kaing Sopheap, Director of QLTS, officially announced the membership and roles and responsibilities of each member of the UP Quality Assurance Committee. He also provided a helpful presentation on how UP prepares to submit its program for a successful evaluation by the Department of Higher Education. After the training, members of the UP QA Committee and representatives from the faculties, particularly the Faculty of Pharmacy, who is taking the lead on this initiative, expressed their commitment and willingness to launch the project through interactive sharing and discussion with one shared main goal of improving the quality of education in Cambodia.

First Special Presentation by Internship Student Entitled “Biotechnology Education in the CPP (USA) Vs UP”

Ms. Thanith Muy is a second-year student majoring in Biotechnology from California State Polytechnic University (CPP), USA. Currently, she is doing her summer clerkship in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology at the University of Puthisastra (UP).

In the afternoon, Wednesday, 12th July 2023, she gave her first special presentation entitled “Biotechnology Education in the CPP (USA) Vs UP” to faculty members and especially both Science Research and Laboratory Sciences students at Hall B, UP.

The purpose of this presentation is to share knowledge about Biotechnology Education at CPP, USA, and UP, which also includes curriculum, technology, and study style. After the presentation, all the students learned and gained a lot of good knowledge and experience from our internship students as well as from other participants.

Mid-Year 2023 highlighted major achievements for Faculty of Pharmacy

Faculty of Pharmacy was founded in 2011 and recognized by the Royal Government of Cambodia. It is located in a vibrant area of Phnom Penh. Currently, 3 programs are running under the Faculty of Pharmacy: Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Master of Medical Biology and Bachelor of Pharmacy. Moreover, there are many CPD training programs. In 2023, we have 700 students and each year, faculty of pharmacy receives 150 intake students. The faculty of Pharmacy at University of Puthisastra is recognized as the fastest growing school of pharmacy in Cambodia.

Mid-Year 2023 highlighted achievements

• Faculty of Pharmacy was selected to be evaluated by MoEYS.
• 22 international lecturers were invited to give lectures for bachelor and master programs.
• 98.80% of batch 7 pharmacy students passed the national exit exam.
• Batch 2 master degree announcement has been released to call for applicants and a number of applicants applied to study these two masters.
• 27 master course outlines and 38 bachelor course syllabuses are being reviewed and updated in 2023.
• 3 students and 1 staff joined Summer Program at College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois Chicago, USA from June 28 to July 25, 2023.
• 22 students were sent to do internships in Ucare pharmacy, the biggest pharmacy chain in Cambodia.
• Faculty of Pharmacy prepares to create Rover Scout at University of Puthisastra.
• Faculty of Pharmacy supports UYFC operation at University of Puthisastra.
• More than 20 invitations were sent to our Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy to be speaker at international conferences in UK, Brazil, India, China, France, and other ASEAN Countries
• 3 joined grants between India-ASEAN were applied.
• One research was published in Q2 journal.
• One staff got scholarship to study Master Degree in Japan.
• 1 retired US pharmacist volunteered to help our pharmacy at the UP Health Centre.
• A variety of Western Pharmacy Services are provided at UP Pharmacy at the Health Centre.
• 15 UP pharmacy students/60 students from universities in Asia passed to join the program called ‘RxSU International Summer program 2023’ from June 05 to June 11, 2023 at the faculty of pharmacy, Silpakorn University, Thailand. They were offered full support in registration fees, domestic accommodation, meals, and partial international flights fee and UP Faculty of Pharmacy has the most students who passed to join this program among universities in Asia.
• 3 out 3 pharmacy abstracts were fully accepted for oral presentations in CES cam conference.
• We held a very successful community work in Tbong Khum provinces, were very welcomed by high ranking official in the government and Ministry of Health, they really appreciated our students work and UP contribution to the parasitology and research project
• We successfully joined Soma Initiatives on June 18, 2023, and the local authorities provided an appreciation letter to UP to send 4 UP pharmacy students and one staff member to help dispense the medicines to 130 patients.
• The kick start of University and Industry collaboration between Kaksekor company, a local natural product company who try to collect natural products that Cambodian people can produce to market it and make it industrialized, and UP, to create R&D and research to prove the product efficacy, quality, and safety.
• We successfully got about 1100 US$ of sponsorship for parasitology project.
• 8 courses have been improved through weekly curriculum reviewed by cutting about 100 hours of lectures from these 8 courses, and it will be implemented from next school year.
• The biggest pharmacy is opened and operating at the health center.
• We got sponsorship from X-lab for two staffs to join International Lab Exhibition in Vietnam.

• Faculty of Pharmacy led 98 pharmacy students conduct community outreach activities at Mundulkiri Province.
• 500 people in MDK were given health screening on risk for diabetes, and hypertension, health education, as well as receiving medication use review and education on good medicine storage and proper use of medicine by our pharmacy students.
• One pharmacy student got a chance to visit Australian community pharmacies through Rotary Club
• We have made huge contributions to the development of a new core competency framework and new national pharmacy curriculum.
• We held a very successful natural products contests 2023 and got a lot of free orders from our students and staffs.
• Our staff was awarded the best poster presentation 13th International Conferences on Public Health Among Greater Mekong Sub-Regional Studies that held on Hue University in Vietnam held last weekend in Vietnam.
• 6 pharmacy students and one staff were admitted to join online Summer Course 2023 for 3 weeks from July 3-21, 2023, the course was organized by Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gadjah Mada: Natural Cosmetics: from bench to business.
• Our cosmetics and skincare products were well sold during the discovery festival.
• We successfully joined Soma Initiatives on June 24 2023. 2 UP pharmacy students and three staff were sent to help dispense the medicines to 330 patients.
• One CPD was approved by pharmacy council of Cambodia
• UP Faculty of Pharmacy Keeps being the second preferred pharmacy school in Cambodia in term of first choice.
• Our students won one best oral presentation and one best poster presentation in The 14th Annual Northeast Pharmacy Research Conference of 2023 (NEPhReC 2023), Maha Sarakham, Thailand.
• 1 paper was published in Q1 open access journal and we got 1380 CHhHF=1502 USD grant for that publication.
• 13 foreign thesis supervisors were recruited for Master of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Master of Medical biology and most of them have very good publication profiles.
• 21 pharmacy students were sent to do internships at KKU, from Mid-March to Mid-April 2023.
• 3 Staff of the Faculty of pharmacy attended as a Poster Presentation the 13th International Conferences on Public Health Among Greater Mekong Sub-Regional Studies that was held at Hue University in Vietnam.
• Faculty of Pharmacy created the Pharmacy club 2023 that has sub 3 clubs such as Senior club, Pharma-caerer Club and Clinical Pharmacy club that are joined by nearly 200 people.
• We successfully held the Natural product contest 2023 that was held on 31 May 2023.

UP Department of Dentistry Holds another CME on Managing the Medical Emergencies in the Dental Clinic

The Department of Dentistry at the University of Phnom Penh (UP) recently held a CME on “Managing the Medical Emergencies in the Dental Clinics”. The program was held on July 1, 2023, and was led by Dr. Prom Vireak, Deputy Dean for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Medicine, and Dr. Keo Santepheap, a pediatrician from Khema International Polyclinic, and facilitated by UP clinic manager Dr. Hong Lengeav.

The workshop was attended by many dentists from around the country. The participants learned about the different types of medical emergencies that can occur in a dental clinic, as well as how to manage them. They also learned about CPR, how to manage choking, and how to give emergency medications.

It was very well-received by the participants, they said that they learned a lot about how to manage emergencies in a dental clinic, and that they felt more confident in their ability to handle these situations. All the participants received 4 CPD points from the Dental council of Cambodia for attending the workshop. The Department of Dentistry at UP is committed to providing its students and faculty with the knowledge and skills they need to provide safe and effective dental care. By holding CMEs on topics such as managing emergencies, the department is ensuring that its graduates are prepared to handle any situation that may arise in the dental clinic.

Medical Laboratory Student visited VS Medical Laboratory

On July 11th, 2023, the second-year of Medical Laboratory Student from Batch 11, Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology, the University of Puthisastra (UP) conducted a study tour to the VS Medical Laboratory.

The purpose of this visit is to strengthen students’ capacity and to gain a better understanding of the medical laboratory tests as well as build a strong collaboration between the Laboratory Department, UP with VS Medical Laboratory.

For more information about the program: Please contact us via the telegram group ADL Information UP ( https://t.me/+3elkZJiyV-BmOTZl )

Three staff members of the Faculty of Pharmacy attend an International Conference

Recently, the staff of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Puthisastra, attended an international conference organized by the University of Hue, Hue city, Vietnam, with the participation and cooperation of countries in the Mekong sub-region, which took place on the 1st and 2nd, July 2023. In addition, three staff members of the Faculty of Pharmacy participated in a poster presentation for “The 13th International Conference on Public Health Conference in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region”.

The results of the study included three topics:
1. Factors associated with intention for a balanced diet among Cambodian adults: an application of the Theory of Planned Behaviors
2. Factors associated with intention for traditional medicine use among Cambodian adults
3. No gender difference in knowledge of attitude toward and practice on over-the-counter medicine use among health Science students in Cambodia.

Join in the Celebration of Presentation Awards

On Sunday, July 2, 2023, Mrs. Ung Huy Khim, an employee of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Puthisastra, who attended “The 13th International Conference on Public Health Conference in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region”, received a good award for her poster presentation on the topic “Factors associated with intention for traditional medicine use among Cambodian adults”.

This points out the advancements in research and professional accomplishment of faculty members working with Dr Chea Sin, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Puthisastra.

Faculty of English Excellence and Employability Holds Workshop on Grading Efficiency

The Faculty of English Excellence and Employability hosted a workshop on Thursday morning to improve the Department’s grading efficiency using VLOOKUP in Microsoft Excel integrated with UP’s scoring management system. The workshop was led by Mr. LY Seyha, who provided participants with an overview of the VLOOKUP function and how it can be used to fast-track and automate the grading process. This workshop was highly informative, and the faculty members left the workshop feeling motivated for another week of grading year 3 and 4 assessments.

Mr. Ly Seyha did a fantastic job facilitating the workshop. The Faculty of English Excellence and Employability English is looking forward to more workshops to come to improve the faculty’s admin tasks, teaching methodology and classroom management. The workshops will open to other fellow UP lecturers.

Successfully signed MoU with IT company “Oxygen Media Group!

After had a meeting with very good outcome of the discussion between the University of Puthisastra, Faculty of ICT and the Oxygen Media Group, the MOU has signed officially for the collaboration and cooperation which can be beneficial for both of the Faculty of ICT, University of Puthisastra and the Oxygen Media Group. ICT students expose to have chance to do internship and work at Oxygen Media Group, and many more workshops on media production are expected to be conduct at UP.

HISTORY OF DENTISTRY THESIS DEFENSE ATTRACTS LARGE AUDIENCE

On the 13th of July 2023, the Faculty of Dentistry hosted a thesis defense for students CHOUN Lina, LAO Ryna and NAM Virak, with the title “History of Dentistry in Cambodia before and during Khmer Rouge”. The Chair of the defense was Prof. CHEA Sin, and the examiners were Adj. Prof HAK Sithan and Adj. Prof CHHER Tepirou. More than 100 family members, students and staff joined this unique event. In addition, we were greatly honored to have three of the last surviving dentists from that period (who were part of the study) present to witness the defense – Prof. TAING Bunlim, Prof. KIET Sreng and Dr. PIN Samphong. Prof. Taing Bunlim spoke about some of his experiences during the intermission. The audience paid close attention to the presentation, which was also streamed live for those who could not attend in person. The thesis was very well received, and the students were awarded a pass with credit.

Abstract

Background: In 1975, Cambodia fell to the Khmer Rouge (KR) regime. All health services including dentistry collapsed, and most dentists and Officier de la Sante en Art Dentaire (OSDs) lost their lives or escaped the country. At the end of this period, only 34 OSD remained. Following additional training by Vietnamese professors to become Doctors of Dental Surgery, this group re-established dental education and dental services throughout the country. The aim of this study was to record the history of dentistry in Cambodia before and during the Khmer Rouge regime.

Methods: This was a qualitative historical narrative study that involved interviewing some of the dentists who had survived the Khmer Rouge. Interviews were conducted individually at each dentist’s home or at restaurant or coffee shop. After receiving written consent, the interviews were carried out by three trained investigators using a semi-structured questionnaire. The interview conversations were recorded, transcribed and analyzed thematically.

Results: Formal training in dentistry in Cambodia started in 1958. Before the Khmer Rouge came to power, dental services were provided by a small workforce of dentists and assistant dentists in both public hospitals and private clinics. Dental training took place at the national dental school, taught by a small number of French-trained dentists and a French dental technician. New graduates (OSDs) were assigned to work in Phnom Penh and those provincial hospitals where there were electricity and dental equipment. There were also many traditional dentists practicing both in Phnom Penh and the provinces. When the Khmer Rouge came to power, dental personnel tried to keep a low profile to avoid persecution. Few could provide dental treatment as they lacked instruments and materials. Most of the population during that time had no access to dental care. Severe infections, oral pathology and trauma usually went untreated. Traditional remedies were sometimes tried, as simple analgesics and antibiotics were difficult to obtain. After the fall of Khmer Rouge, the surviving OSDs and several dental students returned to Phnom Penh where they underwent additional training and graduated as doctor-dentists. They then set about re-establishing dental services and dental training, with almost no resources.

Conclusion: This is a very important study since it recorded some of memories of the surviving dentists regarding their experiences before and during Khmer Rouge period. Each had experienced the hardships and horrors of those times, and yet survived to become the leaders of dentistry in the following decades.

Joining 2023 Summer Course Cosmetic: from Bench to Business

Five UP Pharmacy students and one UP Pharmacy staff had passed to join the program of 2023 summer course cosmetic from Bench to Business in Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gadjah Mada in the collaboration with the faculty of Medicine, Public health and Nursing. This Summer course will be held for three weeks from July 03rd – July 21st, 2023 with learning activities equivalent to 3 credits. The first week of the program is synchronous meetings for course briefing, and asynchronous learning will be given into individuals. The second week of the program will have a synchronous lecturer about many interesting topics about cosmetic, either from Indonesian and international speakers. The program’s third week will have a project presentation, hybrid lectures, hands on cosmetics and field trips in Indonesia.

Science Research Students Participated in “One Health Project” Presentation

On the afternoon of Friday, July 7, 2023, the second and third-year students of the Bachelor of Science Research of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Puthisastra (UP) participated in the training course “One Health Project” which was presented by students from the University of Sydney, Australia. The presentation was led by Ms. Leanne Howie, Manager, Global Health Initiatives, and Assoc Prof. Justin Beardsley, Professor of infectious diseases who is working on “One Health Project” which was held at the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH).

UP HEAD AND NECK ANATOMY LECTURER ATTENDS ADVANCE COURSE AT PREAH ANG DUONG HOSPITAL

Dr Chea Peng Leang is the head and neck anatomy lecturer for year 2 dental students at UP. He is also completing his training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and recently took part in a one week advanced training course in head and neck anatomy, conducted by Professor Ong Wei Yi from the National University of Singapore. The training utilized models, prosections, skulls and images, and covered the whole region in detail. This is the 4th time that Professor Ong has run this course for Cambodian trainees, and UP is very happy that our anatomy lecturer has had the opportunity to attend. Thanks to Professor Ong, and also to Dr Phan Sandeth, Deputy Director of Preah Ang Duong Hospital, and the Director of the OMF Surgery program, for arranging this course.

DR HUY DARONG SHARES NEW CONCEPTS WITH DENTAL STUDENTS

Dr Huy Darong is a new lecturer in the Faculty of Dentistry, having recently graduated with a Masters degree in Dental Implantology and Aesthetics from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. He was invited to give a special lecture for students in years 3,4,5,6 and 7 and some of our dentists on the topic ”Considerations for successful esthetic dentistry“. The lecture was very interesting, and discussed the latest trends and techniques in modern esthetic dentistry. The presentation emphasized the importance of carrying out a thorough examination and treatment plan, as well as keeping good clinical records. The lecture was enjoyed by all, and we look forward to Dr Darong joining our part-time teaching staff.

Internal Exit Exams for Medical Interns of Batch 4 and Batch 5

On 10th to 12th July 2023, under the direct supervision of the Office of the Registrar and of invigilators from the Ministry of Health, the Internal Exit Exams for medical interns from batch 4, rotation 3 and batch 5, rotation 2 took place. The exams were MCQs and OSCE.