The University of Central Missouri (UCM) hosted one of the capital’s most anticipated educational networking events at the Hyatt Regency on March 12. 

In attendance were senior officials from the US embassy in Cambodia, representatives of many of the Kingdom’s most elite-level educational facilities and officials from the Ministry of Youth, Education and Sport.

The “UCM Partner Reception” was an opportunity for the US University to share its mission of “Redefining What’s Possible” in the world of international education.

UCM President Dr. Roger Best is personally leading a delegation on a Cambodian mission. The American scholars have shared their goal of building partnerships and expanding educational opportunities for Cambodian students.

“At UCM, we have students from almost all states in the US. Importantly, almost 3,000 of our students are from 58 other countries around the world. We know Cambodian students work hard, are motivated to learn and are curious, making them ideal candidates for study at UCM,” Best told The Post.

“We are also impressed with the large number of excellent schools and universities in Cambodia and desire to partner with these wonderful institutions through dual degree and exchange programs so that we can provide opportunities for Cambodian students to study in the US while simultaneously sharing our resources and ensuring our partnership is beneficial to Cambodia,” he added.

As part of its commitment, UCM inked memorandums of understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Technology of Cambodia and Pannasastra University. Best shared his pride in the new partnerships.

“Both institutions have tremendous leaders and serve students well, for the benefit of Cambodia. It is our hope that we can develop dual degree programmes to allow access to expanded opportunities for Cambodian students. We are eager to explore collaborations among our faculty and hope to provide student and faculty exchange. We anticipate that through partnership with these great institutions we will learn how we can improve the student experience at UCM,” he explained.

Greg Holz, UCM International Recruitment Officer, shared his commitment to initiatives like the delegation’s visit to the Kingdom.

“As the International Recruitment Officer, my role goes beyond bringing students to our university. I work to build meaningful partnerships with schools, universities and organisations around the world, creating pathways for students who aspire to study in the US. Education has the power to transform lives, and I am committed to helping students access opportunities that not only benefit them but also empower their families and home countries,” he told The Post.

“I organized this delegation because I truly believe UCM has so much to offer Cambodian students. With a strong focus on hands-on learning, career-driven academic programmes, and a welcoming international community, we provide students with the tools they need to succeed,” he added.

Holz defined his role as connecting with students who dream of studying in the US and then showing them that UCM is not just a destination, but a place where they can grow, thrive and build a future that makes a difference.

“If you are a student, educator or institution looking to explore opportunities with UCM, I would love to connect and discuss how we can work together to open new doors for students,” he concluded.

UCM president Best also shared the success of the institution’s international programmes, noting that the university is Missouri’s top destination for international enrolments. He explained the benefits of a blended student population to campus life, and outlined how it creates a dynamic learning environment that allows students to learn how to engage, learn from and interact with a global population. 

“Our strategy to attract international students, including students from Cambodia, is first and foremost to ensure we have rigorous and high quality academic programmes which utilising hands-on learning to provide meaningful outcomes and career opportunities,” he added.

“We believe in treating our students as family, no matter from where they come,” he continued.

The university president outlined how the faculty have designed a robust student experience outside of the class structure to make student life enjoyable and to foster new and additional interests. He also detailed the tremendous resources that the school dedicates to student support services, ensuring they find it easy to adjust to both life and academics in the US.

“In addition to a wide range of academic programmes, we offer a large number of support services including professional advising, faculty mentorship, student clubs, internships, job placement, academic assistance and health services. All students, including those from Cambodia, have access to these services,” he noted.

He also expanded on the UCM mission of “Redefining What’s Possible”, and how it expands peoples horizons.

“We discovered that many of our students find careers or pathways that they didn't know existed prior to coming to UCM. Our students independently discover that with hard work and a UCM education from our excellent faculty, they are able to be leaders in their communities and the world, and that they have capabilities beyond what they ever could have imagined,” he explained.

“As such, when a student comes to us, the UCM education and student experience redefines what they believed to be possible. We want to offer this same experience to students from Cambodia,” shared Best.