Cooperation: Celebrating Cambodian talent trained in France: 3rd edition of Alumni Day
- Editorial team
- Jun 10
- 3 min read
The French Embassy in Cambodia had the honor of hosting the third edition of the Day of Former French Students in Cambodia on June 5, 2025, on the inspiring theme “Talents to Change the World.”
This event brought together more than 600 participants and highlighted the remarkable achievements of Cambodian graduates from French institutions. A dedicated “Alumni Village” facilitated dynamic exchanges and discussions on career opportunities through the France Alumni Cambodia network, which now has more than 1,200 members.
This annual gathering aims to strengthen ties between Cambodian alumni who studied in France, outgoing France Excellence program scholarship recipients, businesses, NGOs, and partner institutions.
It highlighted the academic and professional opportunities offered by French education, emphasizing the strategic advantage of French language skills in the Cambodian job market.
Co-organized with the Franco-Cambodian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFC), the event brought together 30 exhibitors, creating a dynamic platform for dialogue on employment, networking, and collaboration in key sectors such as engineering, health, economics, law, and new technologies.
The success of this edition was made possible thanks to the dedicated efforts of the CCIFC, the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, and sponsors including France Volontaires, Cambodia Airports, Decathlon, Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, and BRED Bank Cambodia.
In his speech, Ambassador Jacques Pellet praised the exceptional achievements of the alumni and their essential contribution to Cambodia's development and the strengthening of Franco-Cambodian relations. He said:
“By choosing French higher education, you have acquired language skills, academic knowledge, open-mindedness and experiences that open up unique career opportunities in Cambodia and internationally.”
He also emphasized that the French language and studies in France are powerful catalysts for employability.
France is the fourth most popular destination for international students and ranks the same among Cambodian students. Despite growing global competition, France remains highly attractive, supported by the synergy between the Francophone dynamic and the Indo-Pacific strategy launched in 2018.
This year, with the support of the French Embassy and Cambodian higher education institutions, 17 new France Excellence scholarship recipients, including 12 master's candidates and 5 doctoral candidates, 8 of whom are women, will begin their studies in France during the fall.
Since 2021, 555 Cambodian students have continued their studies in France thanks to France Excellence and Eiffel scholarships, specialized medical training scholarships, and co-financing from Cambodian public and private partners such as the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology, the Pasteur Institute of Cambodia, and Minthacare. Hundreds more are studying in France thanks to private funding.
Ambassador Pellet also reminded former students with a French master's or doctoral degree, as well as their spouses and minor children, that they are eligible for a short-stay Schengen visa valid for one to five years. This visa allows holders to stay up to 90 days per semester in 29 European countries, facilitating academic and professional mobility.
France Alumni Day is part of the “Welcome to France” strategy, which aims to welcome 500,000 international students by 2027 and promote a Francophonie focused on employment and cooperation. Supported by the Fonds Équipe de France, the event highlighted the professional careers of former students and their impact on the Cambodian labor market through a round table discussion and an interactive quiz that strengthened the cohesion of the French-speaking community. It also benefited from the support of several private partners.
As Cambodia prepares to host the 20th Francophonie Summit in 2026, France Alumni Cambodia Day is a powerful testament to the French-speaking community's ability to bring together talent, institutions, and partners around shared values and goals. This commitment underscores a shared ambition: to make French a language of concrete opportunities and alumni key players in sustainable Franco-Cambodian cooperation.
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