On April 30, 2010, the Academic Foundation Department (AFD) and the Office of Student Academic Affairs (OSAA) hosted an event for UC faculty and staff members to explain the “Six Minimum Standards for Accreditation on the Foundation Year Program.” These standards are set by the Accreditation Committee of Cambodia (ACC) for the programs offered to new undergraduate students by all recognized Cambodian universities. The mission of ACC is to ensure and promote academic quality for greater effectiveness that is consistent with international standards. It also provides quality control with respect to organizational structure, roles, functions, and duties of HEIs that grant degrees in the Kingdom of Cambodia.
The Foundation Year program (FYP) is a required first stage for a student’s undergraduate degree program at the University of Cambodia, as at other accredited universities. The program is composed of two academic terms per year, with the first term lasting from October to February, and the second from March to July. Students can join the program in either the first or second term. Once they have successfully completed their two-term program, students are given a Foundation Year Certificate.
The Foundation Year program (FYP) is a required first stage for a student’s undergraduate degree program at the University of Cambodia, as at other accredited universities. The program is composed of two academic terms per year, with the first term lasting from October to February, and the second from March to July. Students can join the program in either the first or second term. Once they have successfully completed their two-term program, students are given a Foundation Year Certificate.
to determine whether they conform with these requirements. According to circular No. 02/04 ACC/SSR, all higher education institutions (HEIs) offering an accredited FYP are required to:
• have a Department of Foundation
Year;
• have a Strategic Plan which shows its
ability to intake at least 500 students in
full time or part time;
• have a Foundation Year Course
curriculum with the details of its
content and structure of each subjects;
• have qualified teaching staff, sufficient
in number, with relevant background
and experience to support the
institution’s FYP;
• have sufficient physical facilities such
as classrooms, laboratories, books, and
other necessary study materials to
support the study and research for
both students and instructors of the
institution’s FYP; and
• base student admission for the FYP on
the results of baccalaureate or other
equivalent qualifications and/or based
on legal framework of the Ministry of
Education, Youth and Sports, and the
requirements of the individual HEI.
The goal of the meeting was to provide a brief but thorough overview of the ACC Six Minimum Standards and how they are evaluated, in addition to preparing for the visit by a team of ACC assessors.
