Rany Sam
@nubb.edu.kh
Faculty of Arts, Humanity, and Education
National University of Battambang (NUBB)
Rany Sam has been a dedicated civil servant with the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport since 2007. Since 2017, he has served as the Vice-Rector of the National University of Battambang (NUBB), a prominent public university in northwest Cambodia. In this capacity, he oversees the Graduate School, the Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Education, the Institute of Foreign Languages, and the Confucius Institute. Previously, he served as Director of the Institute of Foreign Languages from 2010 to 2017. He has served as the Director of the Confucius Institute at NUBB in Cambodia since 2019. Dr. Sam is an active member of several academic organizations, including the Southeast Asia Research Academy (SEARA), the Society of Transnational Academic Researchers (STAR) as a country director, and Responsible Borneo (REBORN). He earned his PhD in Education from the School of Educational Studies at the University of Science Malaysia in 2016.
EDUCATION
February 2018: International Certificate on Practitioner Project Management (PRINCE2) from the Global Best Practice, United Kingdom
2016-2017: Diploma of Public Administration for High-Ranking Officer’s Professional Improvement Program at the Royal School of Administration (RSA), Cambodia; my internship report is “The Study of Port Operation Services at the Phnom Penh Autonomous Port”.
2011-2015: PhD in Education, School of Educational Studies, University of Science, Malaysia (USM), Malaysia; my research topic is “The Influence of Institutional Factors and Integrations towards Students’ Intellectual Development: A Case Study of Three Cambodian Public Universities”.
2004-2007: Master of Law (, specializing in International Business Law and Corporate Counsel at the Faculty of Law, Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE), Cambodia.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Education, Social Sciences, Language and Linguistics, Business and International Management
FUTURE PROJECTS
The Academic Profession and Professorial Appointments in the Age of AI in Higher Education https://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/call-details/9482
In an era when artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the structures and expectations of higher education, The Academic Profession and Professorial Appointments in the Age of AI in Higher Education examines how digital technologies are transforming what it means to build and sustain an academic career. This book examines the shifting academic roles, evolving models of professorial appointments, and the increasing impact of AI-driven tools on research evaluation, teaching, governance, and institutional decision-making. By analyzing global policy trends, digital scholarship practices, and emerging algorithmic systems, it highlights both the opportunities, such as enhanced transparency, innovation, and new career pathways, and the risks, including threats to equity, professional autonomy, and academic freedom. Drawing on diverse international perspectives, the book offer a critical and timely reflection on how the professoriate is adapting to a digitally mediated academic landscape.
Applications Invited
Authors
Student Enrollment and Retention Strategies to Reduce Dropout in Higher Education https://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/call-details/9389
The primary objective of this book is to provide higher education professionals with a cohesive, research-informed, and actionable framework to effectively reduce student dropout rates by integrating enrollment and retention processes into a single, continuous strategy. While existing research often treats recruitment and persistence as distinct challenges, this book aims to bridge that divide by demonstrating the power of a holistic, institution-wide approach that connects early engagement, academic readiness, and sustained student support.
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Authors
Scopus Publications
Scopus Publications
Sarith Chiv, Kimcheang Hong, Chanthang Meak, Rany Sam, Morin Tieng, Hak Yoeng, and Mardy Serey
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Rany Sam, Navin Voeun, Pheaktra Vando, Kanhchakna Vet, Sinath No, Ry Hour, Sereyrath Em, Sokthy Sou, Sonita Phuong, and Vuthea Da
IGI Global Scientific Publishing
This chapter responds to Cambodia's primary leadership role in fostering teaching collaboration and professional growth within a system that has barely started acknowledging the significance of collaboration and continuous research capacity development. Faced with the stresses of challenges as disparate as limited resources to teacher experience variation, leaders have managed through interventions intended to foster cooperation through participatory decision-making, communication, and tailored professional learning opportunities. Case interviews and studies indicate that Cambodian university administrators place importance on establishing trust, involving faculty members, researchers, and networking in the sharing of best practices. This collaboration has improved the motivation of faculty members, teaching quality, and student achievement. Limitations of professional development and research capacity building, such as financial, geographic, and cultural differences, are also addressed in this chapter.
Morin Tieng, Rany Sam, Riem Meng, Lem Pring, Sreykeo Peng, Chiva Chin, Sokheng Hon, Chantithya Men, Ey Doeurn, Mina Pich,et al.
IGI Global Scientific Publishing
Doctoral education is the anchor of innovation, knowledge generation, and academic quality. However, making it sustainable is a major concern for most universities. This chapter explores the policy and institutional infrastructure behind sustainable doctoral education reform in selected universities in Cambodia, Malaysia, and Thailand across the ASEAN region. By examining policies, funding channels, supervisory behaviors, and institutional initiatives, this research reveals best practices and entrenches reform barriers. The major findings indicate that intensive challenges persist, but regional universities are taking innovative steps to develop research capacity and globalization. They include limited funds, sparse mentorship initiatives, and incompatibility between doctoral education and labor market requirements. The chapter emphasizes the imperatives of policy coherence, resource optimization, and cross-disciplinary cooperation as major reform strategies to ensure the sustainability of doctoral education systems. The findings of this case study have practical implications for policymakers and academic leaders. They involve the initiation of specific reform measures that embrace global trends but respond to the specific regional and global imperatives of ASEAN universities.
Sereyrath Em, Mardy Serey, Rany Sam, Dina Pen, and Pisith Chin
IGI Global
This chapter examines the fundamental distinctions between academic publishing and printing in the realm of Cambodian higher education. It emphasizes that publication, characterized as the distribution of scholarly work via established digital venues like journals and archives, guarantees worldwide accessibility, peer review, and academic acknowledgment. In Cambodia, universities are progressively depending on academic publishing to enhance research credibility and achieve international recognition. On the other hand, printing means making hard copies of things for administrative or practical reasons, without any peer review or academic recognition, which is confused with publication by some higher institutions. Although printing addresses local requirements, it fails to enhance the worldwide academic community. The chapter underscores the significance of comprehending these contrasts in Cambodia, where academic institutions endeavor to augment their research output and participate in worldwide scholarly discourse.
Sereyrath Em, Sovanna Huot, Ganda Febri Kurniawan, Rany Sam, Dina Pen, Mardy Serey, and Pisith Chin
IGI Global
This chapter analyzes the current situation of research within Cambodia's higher education system, emphasizing the obstacles faced, including insufficient funding, limited research facilities, and a deficiency of suitably trained researchers. Moreover, the linguistic barrier between Khmer and English further hinders access to the international arena. Nonetheless, the increasing prospects in indigenous knowledge, sustainable agriculture, and cultural heritage offer expansion opportunities. The improvement of research and teaching can be achieved through the application of novel educational methods, interdisciplinary collaboration, and global partnerships. The chapter concludes with policy applications designed to enhance research financing, augment research capacity, and align research with national development goals. The chapter also promotes further investigation into local research capabilities and international cooperation.
Rany Sam, Rosy Bun, Vireak Keo, Sinoeurn Kheuy, and Sereyrath Em
IGI Global
The chapter employs a systematic literature review that delves deeply into emerging trends in educational leadership research over the last decade, examining the changing themes, methodologies, and challenges scholars face in this dynamic field. The study compiles findings from a wide range of peer-reviewed articles, focusing on leadership approaches, the role of technology, equity, and diversity, and the impact of global education reforms. A comprehensive review of the literature from 2010 to 2023 reveals a growing emphasis on transformational and distributed leadership models, incorporating digital tools into leadership practices, and a greater focus on ethical and culturally responsive leadership. The review also identifies gaps in existing research, particularly in cross-cultural leadership studies and the implementation of leadership training programs. With its comprehensive approach, this review is an invaluable resource for educators, policymakers, and researchers, providing the reassurance and support they require to understand current trends and the future.
Sereyrath Em, Sarom Mok, Rany Sam, Ganda Febri Kurniawan, and Dina Pen
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Abstract: From the beginning until now, education has been a significant factor in the Cambodian setting. The current article examines the origins of education in Cambodia, which dates back to the prehistoric period. Throughout Cambodian history, education has played a variety of meaningful roles. Education played a significant role in shaping the lives of individuals throughout the many eras of Cambodian prehistory and history. In prehistory, children learned by doing and observing the people around them. Education in Cambodia peaked during the Angkor Empire, also known as the Khmer Empire. During that period, hundreds of educational institutions were located across the country, including more advanced educational establishments in the city serving as Angkor's capital. Thousands of instructors were well-equipped to teach Khmer-speaking students. On the other hand, as the Angkor Empire collapsed, education in Cambodia gradually declined, a trend that persisted until the Khmer Rouge Regime finally eradicated education. During this period, the Khmer Rouge leaders targeted and killed the majority of instructors. Then the Cambodian government and other concerned education stakeholders have been working diligently to rebuild education in Cambodia since the end of that black period, and they have succeeded in doing so to the point where it is now. Finally, the article recommends that the concerned education stakeholders consider the past as the experiences for the present and improve the perspectives of future education. Abstrak: Sejak awal hingga sekarang, pendidikan telah menjadi faktor penting dalam tatanan Kamboja. Artikel ini membahas asal-usul pendidikan di Kamboja, yang dimulai sejak periode prasejarah. Sepanjang sejarah Kamboja, pendidikan telah memainkan berbagai peran yang berarti. Pendidikan memainkan peran penting dalam membentuk kehidupan individu di berbagai era prasejarah dan sejarah Kamboja. Pada masa prasejarah, anak-anak belajar dengan melakukan dan mengamati orang-orang di sekitar mereka. Pendidikan di Kamboja pernah mencapai puncaknya selama Kekaisaran Angkor, yang juga dikenal sebagai Kekaisaran Khmer. Selama periode tersebut, ratusan lembaga pendidikan berlokasi di seluruh negeri, termasuk lembaga pendidikan yang lebih maju di kota yang berfungsi sebagai ibu kota Angkor. Ribuan instruktur diperlengkapi dengan baik untuk mengajar siswa yang berbahasa Khmer. Di sisi lain, ketika Kekaisaran Angkor runtuh, pendidikan di Kamboja secara bertahap menurun, sebuah tren yang bertahan hingga Rezim Khmer Merah akhirnya memberantas pendidikan. Selama periode ini, para pemimpin Khmer Merah menargetkan dan membunuh sebagian besar instruktur. Pemerintah Kamboja dan pemangku kepentingan pendidikan lainnya telah bekerja keras untuk membangun kembali pendidikan di Kamboja sejak berakhirnya masa suram itu, dan mereka telah berhasil melakukannya hingga mencapai titik seperti sekarang. Terakhir, artikel ini merekomendasikan agar para pemangku kepentingan pendidikan mempertimbangkan masa lalu sebagai pengalaman untuk masa kini dan meningkatkan perspektif pendidikan di masa mendatang.
Rany Sam, Mardy Serey, Hour Ry, Chiv Sarith, Morin Tieng, and Hak Yoeng
IGI Global
This chapter explores the development and challenges of the Quality Assurance (QA) system in Cambodian higher education institutions. Following the end of the civil war in 1998, Cambodia has made significant strides in establishing a robust QA framework to enhance the standards of its higher education sector. Key milestones include establishing the Accreditation Committee of Cambodia (ACC) in March 2003 and implementing various policies to align with international QA practices, especially those of ASEAN quality assurance. The Royal Government of Cambodia has unequivocally prioritized quality assurance and accreditation in higher education as a central aspect of its educational reform and strategic plan; especially in the rectangular strategy 2023-2028. The development phase has been marked by a steadfast focus on building institutional capacities, creating quality assurance guidelines, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
Mardy Serey, Sereyrath Em, Rany Sam, and Ganda Febri Kurniawan
IGI Global Scientific Publishing
This chapter analyzes the status of Cambodian higher education in global university ranking systems. This analysis specifically investigates the impact of ranking systems on governmental goals, institutional strategies, and the broader discourse surrounding quality and competition. The global emphasis on academic excellence, research output, and international prominence is reshaping goals for higher education in Cambodia. Despite Cambodian institutions' absence from worldwide rankings like QS, THE, or ARWU, this lack of visibility does not deter the nation from advancing its higher education initiatives. This chapter critically examines the interaction between global measurements, often generated by Western organizations, and local reality in a post-conflict, low-income society. Furthermore, it examines how Cambodian institutions are initiating responses through policy reforms, capacity building, and engagement with regional organizations.
Rany Sam, Xuyang Li, Khorn Sok, Morin Tieng, and Hak Yoeng
Springer Nature Singapore
Sereyrath Em, Sarom Mok, Rany Sam, Dina Pen, and Mardy Serey
IGI Global
This chapter focuses on artificial intelligence (AI)-generative tools and their application to the higher education system, specifically the instructional design processes. Digitalization and the advancement of AI have significantly transformed the educational sector, presenting stakeholders involved in the design of digital educational content with an expanded toolkit of AI-driven solutions like chatbots, virtual teaching assistants, and AI-generated feedback, among others. AI-generative tools, which are designed as educational support systems, intrinsically adopt intelligent characteristics based on machine learning principles and explorative methods, allowing the end-user to produce natural language text, video, and image content that is both coherent and instructive. Therefore, this chapter delves into the implementation of AI-generative tools in higher education, emphasizing the tools' opportunities and challenges, as well as outlining potential future directions.
Sothea Hill, Sophat Phon, Virak Voan Ratha, Sam Ean Lay, Mardy Serey, Sereyrath Em, and Rany Sam
IGI Global Scientific Publishing
This chapter aims to investigate the structural disparities within Cambodia's higher education system, specifically regarding access, quality, and opportunities for post-graduation. More specifically, the purpose of this chapter is to examine how socioeconomic inequities, gender biases, geographical limits, and ethnic marginalization all contribute to restricted educational accessibility. To address these issues, this chapter analyzes current measures aimed at enhancing inclusion and promoting social justice. In doing so, policy research, institutional case studies, and interviews with stakeholders were drawn upon. Furthermore, the chapter suggests practical alternatives, such as financial assistance, regulatory reforms, and community-driven interventions, with the goal of removing obstacles and improving access to higher education in Cambodia in a manner that is more equitable.
Rany Sam, Sinath No, Kamrang Tith, Pisith Chin, Sinoeurn Kheuy, Ngorntheng Thol, Vuthea Da, Sereyrath Em, Hak Yoeng, and Sarith Chiv
IGI Global Scientific Publishing
The Royal Government of Cambodia has introduced a range of educational and strategic policies to advance educational technology and strengthen digital literacy across the national education system. Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into teaching and learning is among the most widely adopted innovations. While AI in mathematics education has gained increasing traction regionally and globally, its impact on Cambodian students' and teachers' experiences remains underexplored. This study seeks to address this gap by examining the perceptions of university students and mathematics teachers regarding AI-supported mathematics education, with particular attention to perceived benefits, challenges, and its potential to enhance learning outcomes. Using a qualitative research approach, in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 participants from various high schools, providing insights into the opportunities and constraints of AI integration in the Cambodian context.
Chandarey Vong, Rany Sam, and Seth So
Sanata Dharma University
This study aims to explore students’ perceptions of factors influencing pronunciation. The study was designed quantitatively. The purposive sampling method was used, and 50 Cambodian EFL students at the National University of Battambang were selected as the sample. The questionnaire was designed in a semi-structured format. The data was analyzed by SPSS. The result showed that most participants believed learning English from a young age leads to better pronunciation. Interestingly, it indicated that the mother tongue (Khmer) influences English pronunciation since learners find it difficult to produce some sounds, especially the /th/sh/f/v/ sound in English, as these sounds do not exist in the sound system of Khmer. Additionally, the majority of the respondents believed that being exposed to an English-speaking environment, including real communication with English native speakers or access to English-speaking learning media, can enhance pronunciation. Last but not least, it was also assumed that feedback on pronunciation errors and motivation contribute to a positive learning process. Therefore, this study provides insight into effective pronunciation instruction.
Rany Sam, Morin Tieng, Hak Yoeng, Ry Hour, and Chiv Sarith
IGI Global
In Cambodia, as in many ASEAN countries, private supplementary tutoring, also known as 'shadow education,' is a significant component of the educational landscape. This chapter examines the root causes of shadow education in Cambodia, the challenges it poses, and the effectiveness of existing policies aimed at regulating this sector. Through semi-structured interviews with 21 principals and teachers, the study identifies key drivers of shadow education, including inadequate formal education, insufficient resources, regulatory gaps, and teachers' low salaries. The findings indicate a widespread reliance on private tutoring to compensate for these deficiencies, which exacerbates educational inequalities. The chapter concludes with targeted recommendations for students, parents, educators, and policymakers, underscoring the critical need for robust and effective regulatory frameworks to address the challenges of shadow education and to enhance the quality and equity of Cambodia's educational system.
Rany Sam, Morin Tieng, Hak Yoeng, Chiv Sarith, Mardy Serey, and Sopheak Sam
IGI Global
The academic landscape in Cambodian HEIs is marred by a range of challenges. Academicians face limited access to resources, insufficient funding, restricted academic freedom, and notable language and cultural barriers. The chapter aims at investigating the research enhancements for researchers and academicians in Cambodian Higher Education institutions. This study employs a qualitative methods approach insights gained from interviews and policy analysis. This holistic approach facilitates a comprehensive understanding of the current state of academic research in Cambodia, pinpointing areas in need of policy-driven solutions. Findings reveal a pressing need for policies that are tailored to the unique needs of the Cambodian academic context. There is an evident requirement for fostering stronger research collaborations, both within the country and internationally, alongside mechanisms that promote sustained research development. The study proposes a set of focused policy recommendations designed to overcome these challenges.
Jackie Ravet, Peter Mtika, Amy McFarlane, Catriona MacDonald, Bunlee Khun, Vandy Tep, Rany Sam, and Hak Yoeng
Elsevier BV
Rany Sam, Ahmad Nurulazam Md Zain, Hazri Bin Jamil, Thongma Souriyavongsa, and Le To Do Quyen
Canadian Center of Science and Education
The Malaysian government aims to help the bottom billion countries, which are its neighbouring countries in the South East Asian region, for their human capital development through providing university postgraduate scholarship projects. Those countries include Cambodia, Laos PDR, Burma or Myanmar, and Vietnam (CLMV), which are favourite countries for its technical assistance. Due to the countries’ various educational systems, postgraduate students have experienced some academic difficulties during their studies and research in Malaysian universities. A qualitative research method is employed to investigate students’ living strategies, perception of academic success, and academic adjustment problems in a Malaysian university. Research samples were conducted conveniently selected from a total of 17 students made up of 6 Cambodian, 4 Laotian, 2 Myanmar, and 5 Vietnamese postgraduate students (47, 05% females and 52, 94% males) who have studied in the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) so called the Research University in the academic year 2012/2013, where they have attended the schools of educational studies, social science, and materials and mineral resource engineering. The result showed that the most difficult problem in term of academic adjustment which is English language difficulty in their new learning environment. In order to remedy such matters, they must strive to study hard, to improve English proficiency, and to make good relations with their academic staff, thesis supervisors, and other postgraduate students. In other words, social adjustment is considered as one of the important strategies that enable them to cope with the context of Malaysian culture. Based on the findings, the researchers provide recommendations to facilitate CLMV students to make better adjustments in a Malaysian research university and to achieve their academic endeavour.
Thongma Souriyavongsa, Mohamad Jafre Zainol Abidin, Rany Sam, Leong Lai Mei, and Ithayaraj Britto Aloysius
Canadian Center of Science and Education
This paper aims to investigate learning English strategies and the requirement of English needs of the undergraduate students at the National University of Laos (NUOL). The study employed a survey design which involved in administering questionnaires of rating scales, and adapting the items from (Barakat, 2010; Chengbin, 2008; Kathleen A, 2010; Patama, 2001; Richards, 2001), to measure learning English strategies and the needs of English skills from 160 Lao undergraduate students of NUOL. The findings of this study revealed that speaking skill was the most important skills that students needed to improve in their undergraduate program. All participants reported a medium frequency use of strategy on learning English. The most frequently used strategies involved in using vocabulary books and electronic dictionaries to remember new English words. Based on the research findings, the researchers provided some recommendations for course developers to be reconsidered and redesigned the curriculum and syllabus including the instructional materials, learning behaviours and learning strategies of the English courses in all faculties in order to enhance the quality of learning and teaching activities as well as to meet the learners’ needs and social demands for their prospective careers and country’s development.
Rany Sam, Thongma Souriyavongsa, Ahmad Nurulazam Md Zain, Hazri Jamil, Xiaojuan Wu, and Seng Sovath
Canadian Center of Science and Education
The Cambodian government aims to promote students’ academic success in the country’s tertiary education. In order to reach this goal, it is important to explore possible potential factors that determine the educational attainment of Cambodian students. There has been no previous research on students’ academic success in Cambodian higher learning institutions, while this topic has been widely researched in the United States and some developed countries since the 1970’s. Accordingly, a number of research models have been developed by famous scholars to determine institutional factors which lead to the outcome of better academic performance in post secondary education. Therefore, this paper intends to conceptualize the academic experiences connected to existing institutional policies for contributing to the enhancement of students’ academic success in the specific context of Cambodian higher education institutions. In this paper, Astin’s theory (1984, 1993, 1999) and a Tinto’s theory (1975, 1993) are employed to link the concept of institutional policies and Cambodian students’ academic success because they model the relationship between institutional experiences of students, which are deemed to be relevant to the current status of Cambodian educational policies. Based on these concepts, this paper will propose ten variables as predicting factors that influence institutional policies toward students’ academic success and will design a conceptual model to elaborate this influence within the Cambodian educational system. Thus, this model to predict students’ academic success is proposed as a result of a literature review among the relationships of theoretical model of student input (pre-entry attributes), academic environment (institutional experiences and policies), and students’ academic success. Based on these relationships, ten propositions are developed.
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Publications
Sam, R., Li, X., Sok, K., Tieng, M., Yoeng, H. (2025). Effective Turnaround Leadership Practices in Cambodia: Perspectives from School Principals. In: Liu, P., Thien, L.M. (eds) Turnaround Leadership in Southeast Asian Countries. Springer, Singapore.
RESEARCH OUTPUTS (PATENTS, SOFTWARE, PUBLICATIONS, PRODUCTS)
Chiv, S., Hong, K., Meak, C. et al. Enhancing research on academic research capacity in Cambodian higher education institutions. Discov Educ 4, 283 (2025).