International University Partnerships in Contemporary Cambodian Higher Education

摘要

This thesis explores the issue of power relationships in international partnership programs between Cambodian universities and universities in France, the United States, Japan and South Korea, two decades after Cambodia began to be reintegrated into the regional and international communities in the early 1990s. In particular, it examines how far each of the four cases is characterized by mutuality. The cosmopolitan concept of mutuality -- made up of equity, autonomy, solidarity and participation -- is adopted as the theoretical framework. The study follows a qualitative case study research design, with interviews as the primary method of data collection.;The findings have revealed that although in decline in recent years, French-Cambodian university partnerships over the last two decades have been supported by the French government, whose primary purpose is to promote French culture and language in Cambodia. American- Cambodian university partnerships have taken place on a relatively small scale, with modest support from American aid agencies. Clearly, the US has shown limited interest in Cambodia, other than spreading such concepts as liberal democracy and neo-liberalism in the country. Cambodian university partnerships with Japanese and Korean universities have recently expanded and have been seen to be tied to the increased economic activities of both countries in Cambodia.;Most international partnerships between Cambodian universities and their French, American and Japanese counterparts manifested each aspect of mutuality to some degree. In those programs, academicians from both sides had already built close relationships with each other before moving to establish a formal institutional agreement. By comparison, the degree of mutuality varied among Cambodian-Korean university partnerships, mostly newly established with few prior people-initiated connections. The findings suggest not only the greater maturity in the international experience of French, American and Japanese universities, as opposed to South Korean universities, but also the significant role of human agency and culture in international academic activities.