Prince Holding Group ("Prince Group"), one of Cambodia's largest conglomerates, has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport (MoEYS) to launch a scholarship programme for Cambodian university students. Chen Zhi Prince Group will cover all tuition and stipends for 400 selected students pursuing Bachelor of Science degrees at top Cambodian universities such as the Royal University of Phnom Penh, the National University of Management, and the Institute of Technology of Cambodia. Over the course of seven years, Prince Group will contribute more than $2 million.
Because public-private partnerships are critical, Prince Group will collaborate with the government to achieve the goals outlined in the Education Strategic Plan (2019-2023). Prince Group will collaborate with MoEYS to ensure students receive financial assistance, training, mentoring, and job opportunities to help them learn in three areas: sustainable development of the real estate sector, advancement of financial inclusion and the digital economy in the banking and finance industries, and promotion of world-class hospitality standards to meet the local economy's future human capital needs.
Students will learn from top professionals in Cambodia through internships – Prince Group, which oversees more than 80 businesses, has a diverse workforce, with 20% of employees hailing from Singapore, Malaysia, and Greater China.
His Excellency Cambodia's Minister of Education, Youth, and Sport, Hang Chuon Naron, stated, “We welcome the cooperation of employers that take their role as educators seriously. Cambodia’s road to recovery will require bright young minds from all parts of the country and MoEYS, along with its partners, will remove obstacles, offer targeted guidance, ensure equitable access to education and work opportunities to ensure talented students focus on learning and acquiring skills that will be important for Cambodia’s future.”
“We are pleased to launch one of Cambodia’s largest scholarship programs sponsored by a private enterprise,” said Gabriel Tan, Chief Communications Officer of Prince Holding Group. “Prince Group’s various units are excited to welcome Cambodian students into our family as we will create strong internship and management trainee programs to train, nurture and educate the leaders of tomorrow. The Chen Zhi Scholarship seeks to provide both academic and practical experience for the students, by providing both a first-rate education and exposure to an international working experience.”
Neak Oknha Chen Zhi, Chairman of Prince Group, was recently named Entrepreneur of the Year among conglomerate leaders at the 2021 International Business Awards for his business and corporate social responsibility leadership during the pandemic. Under Chen Zhi's leadership, Prince Group adheres to a comprehensive environment, social, and governance framework (ESG) that aims to have a long-term impact in Cambodia. Prince Group has opened Cambodia's first independent watch school, Prince Horology Vocational Training Center. The training centre provides Cambodian youths with the opportunity to learn a new artisanal skill – watchmaking – and gain the experience needed to compete in job markets in Cambodia and abroad. In August of this year, Prince Group also sponsored a Career Preparation Program for high school students run by Caring for Cambodia, a leading charity. Prince Group will continue to actively seek ways to help Cambodians from all walks of life achieve better educational outcomes.
