Research Policy Plan
FIVE YEARS RESEARCH PLAN (2011-2015)
1. INTRODUCTION
The University of South East Asia (USEA) initiated the Research and Development Office (RDO on September 25, 2006 to capitalize on the opportunities created by technological advancements and new research on learning that have emerged in 2006. The Office’s goal was to create a vision for the strategic application of research throughout the education system in support of student learning and achievement and consistent with the administration's broader education and economic priorities.
In line with the Education Law of Cambodia, in Article 18 stated that “the higher education determines to promote scientific, technical, cultural and social research” and the Policy on Research Development in the Education in accordance with the USEA’s public participation, transparency and collaboration served as the key considerations in developing this plan. The focus is the development of R & D Office Five-Year Research Plan, Year 2011-2015 wherein the basis is the MOEYS Master Plan for Research and Development in the Education Sector and the USEA’s Master Plan for Research and Development, 2011-2015.
This plan provides a rationale for what research program/project will be conducted specifically; 1) in support to the priority areas of the university in internal and external research collaboration; 2) how this research collaborations will be delivered; and 3) to ensure if the government and office priorities are addressed This plan will guide the R & D Office through the next five years wherein the focus is with the internal and external research to ensure an output outlined in the MOEYS Master Plan for Research Development in the Education. It is expected that both the MOEYS Master Plan for Research Development of Higher Education Institution and this accompanying Research Plan will be revisited and revised accordingly in five years to ensure changing priorities are adequately addressed. Further, this will require realignment of regional resources to ensure that priorities are addressed.
2. BACKGROUND
The R&D Office has multidisciplinary approach in support to the fields of business, economics, tourism, management, information technology, and education. R &D Office performs three primary functions: research; monitoring; and data management. The limited resources and increased demands for increasingly specialized services challenged R &D Office capacity to effectively support the government and USEA’s priorities. Thus, R &D Office is continually re-aligning itself to ensure its program is relevant, effective, efficient, affordable, and valued. Creating a balanced research program that ensures long-term stability to support decision and policy making through monitoring and data management activities while maintaining flexibility to respond to evolving demands is accomplished through research and services. A logical Research Plan will ensure R & D Office targets research in support of the USEA's strategic plan for development.
3. STRAGEGIC DIRECTION
A University is known from other educational institutions by the quality of teaching and research culture. Research creates a renowned reputation in terms of a research oriented output. Indeed, the importance of research is vital in the operation of all universities since it generates positive impacts in the cultural, social, and economic benefits to the community and to the country as a whole. Thus, the following research plan, 2011-2015 will be a reference for strategic direction. The USEA’s research plan expresses how R & D Office addressed research in support of priorities over the years using the MOEYS Master Plan for Research & Development in the Education Sector. However, the conceptualized R & D Office Research Plan 2011-2015 with the support of the USEA’s Academic Board, Academic Program Committee, Teaching and Learning Committee, and Research Committee will be used to address priorities and in line with USEA’s mission and vision for development.
4. THE R & D OFFICE RESERARCH PLAN FOR 2011-2015
The following R & D Office Research Plan for 2011-2015 was conceptualized in line with the Education Law of Cambodia wherein in Article 18, stated that “the higher education determines to promote scientific, technical, cultural and social research, the Policy on Research & Development in the Education Sector that focused on enhancing the quality of education, increasing new knowledge and developing the society, economy and culture. In relation to this, USEA aspired to implement/strengthen the strategies stated in the MOEYS Master Plan for Research Development in the Education Sector namely: (1) Research Capacity (2) Research Quality,(3) Cooperative Research, (4) Research Reports, (5) Research Ethics), (6) International Cooperation, (7) Marketing Research and Development.
Strategies
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Objectives
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Activities
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Outcome
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Source of
Fund
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Years
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2011
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2012
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2013
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2014
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2015
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|||||
1. Research
Capacity
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1. To maintain updated annual- list of experts in the data base.
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-Request USEA research advisers and lectures in research courses to update their records.
|
Updated data base/statistics of USEA research experts.
|
USEA
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
2. To prioritize areas for research activities.
|
-Inform the respective faculty about the most recent research priorities.
|
USEA has focus areas.
|
USEA/
Other possible
sources
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
-Research advisers must lead student to do socio-economic research for the community and the country as a whole.
|
USEA student research focus on socio-economic research.
|
USEA/
Other possible sources
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
-Provide research topics to be done by research advisers/can be accessed to electronic research journals.
|
List of research topics accessible from the electronic journals.
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Free from websites
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
-Inform all USEA researchers about the regular update of research priorities from MOEYS, Cambodia.
|
USEA researchers can plan, carry out and report quality research
|
USEA/
Other possible sources
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
3. To promote the level and development of research capacity in major fields in the priority needs of the country.
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-Require students, researchers and lecturers teaching research courses to attend USEA based training program
|
-USEA students, researchers and lecturers acquired additional knowledge about research
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USEA/
Other institutions
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
4. To develop the research capacity of lecturer working in priority areas.
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-Researchers must be equipped with necessary research knowledge and skills to do priority researches.
|
USEA researchers became qualified to conduct priority researches
|
USEA/
/MOEYS/WB
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
5. To provide research facilities and resources.
|
-R & D Office will continue to provide R & D Guide research information
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USEA compiled R & D Guide
|
USEA/free websites
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
2. Research Quality
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1. To encourage lecturers to present their research findings at national and international levels.
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-Request lecturers to present their research finding in the university seminar /conference for students and the community.
|
Regular paper presentation
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USEA
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
2. To support the organizations both local and international in the conduct of conferences.
|
-Communicate with university partners to organize international conference.
|
International conference at Siem Reap, Cambodia
|
USEA/
University of Malaya (UM)
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
3. To establish support that will facilitate the meeting between researchers from many HEIs and provide opportunities for them to present their research findings.
|
Meeting conducted on regular basis for research discussion.
|
Interactions of researchers and lecturers
|
USEA/
MOEYS Other institutions
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
4. To encourage lecturers to study the topics relevant to Cambodia and publish their findings.
|
-Promote to researchers and lecturers the conduct of research topics relevant to Cambodia.
|
Publications to inform the community and affected individual
|
USEA/
MOEYS
/other institutions
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
5. To publish a research bulletin on regular basis.
|
-Provide resources for the bi-yearly publication of research bulletin.
|
USEA Research Bulletin publishing the student’s abstract and researcher’s highlights of project reports
|
USEA
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
6. To increase the availability of electronic search journals
|
-Provide addresses of web search journals
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Addresses of Electronic journals for all topics.
|
USEA/
UPLB Library
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
3. Cooperative Research
|
1. To foster cooperation with HEIs both private and public/national and international.
|
-Cooperate with local and international, private and public HEIs.
|
List of university partners
|
USEA/UM/Other HEIs
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
2. To support interdisciplinary and multi- disciplinary projects.
|
-Cooperate with local, international, other agencies, HEIS for
joint projects.
|
New local and international partners.
Project completion and publishing the results
|
USEA/UM/MOEYS/
other organizations
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
4. Research Reports
|
1. To develop a mechanism and culture of reporting research result regularly and appropriately.
|
-Guarantee that research results are reported appropriately and regularly.
|
Research results are widely reported; presented in the conference, forums, and seminars.
Publication in reputable journals.
|
USEA/UM/MOEYS
/Other organizations
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
2. To develop a research management database system.
|
-Develop and maintain a national research database management linked to HEIs database and projects.
|
A national and HEIs research management database established and readily accessible by the staff and students
|
MOEYS/
Other organizatio-ns
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
5. Research Ethics
|
1. To prepare regulations and inform student, staff, and researchers about plagiarism and protection of intellectual property.
|
-Set up effective mechanism and regulation to prevent plagiarism and protect copy right.
-Regular wide dissemination of information to avoid plagiarism, protection of intellectual copyright.
-Provide regular professional development program for thesis supervisors.
|
Reduce cases of plagiarism and increase knowledge on the protection of intellectual property and copyright.
- Well-informed researchers, students and staff.
-Strengthen the background of thesis supervisors.
|
USEA/MOEYS
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
1. To improve thesis supervision.
|
- Provide information about research process at university level
|
Establishment of a systematic research process including information to do away with plagiarism and
|
USEA/UM/MOEYS/Other institutions
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
2. To establish a framework for student research and enhance the quality of student research.
|
-Augment all aspects of undergraduate and post graduate research..
|
Completion of high level of research, defended and properly reported effectively
|
MOEYS
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
3. To research and review national ad international conventions and ethics policies.
|
-Develop a university ethics policy based on the research and review of international research policies.
|
|
MOEYS
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
4. To develop research permission procedures and forms that reflect research ethics principles.
|
-Promote to come up with an appropriate research permission and forms that reflect ethics, human rights and other relevant principles.
|
Standard research permission procedures and forms developed and widely used by HEIs
|
USEA/
MOEYS
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
5. To promote compliance with code of research ethics among researchers in Cambodia.
|
-Establish university research ethics committee to monitor the compliance with the code of research ethics.
|
Increased the compliance with the code of ethics and reduced the incidence of non-compliance
|
USEA
/MOEYS
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
6. International Cooperation
|
1. To provide opportunities for Cambodian an international researchers to work together.
|
- Do cooperative research with international university partners.
|
Increased cooperative research carried out by USEA researchers and international researchers
|
USEA/
UM/
Other university partners
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
2. To develop effective working arrangement with Cambodians and international researchers.
|
-Request researchers from university partners to provide USEA with schedule of research activities.
|
Schedule of activities from international university partners
|
USEA/UM/Other university partners
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
3. To encourage USEA researchers to join cooperative research projects.
|
Cooperate with university partners for cooperative research with USEA researchers.
|
Increased joint cooperative research
|
USEA/UM/Other university partners
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
4. To develop appropriate communication strategies to support cooperative research.
|
- Must do appropriate communication strategies.
|
Development of an effective communication strategies
|
USEA/UM/Other university partners
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
5. To establish fellowship that will enable Cambodian academics and graduate students to carry our research and advanced study at international university.
|
-Must do research and advanced study as exchange student with university partners.
|
Increased opportunities for USEA academics and students to study and conduct research with university partners
|
UM/DPU/WU/NLU/
LNTU/
UPLB/
UPOU/and other institutions
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
6. To promote cooperation among national and international HEIs though joint forums, grant applications, research projects and publications.
|
-Must do national and international cooperation for joint forums, grant applications, research proposals.
|
Increased national and international cooperative research forums, publications and exchange of information
|
UM/DPU/WU/NLU/
LNTU/
UPLB/
UPOU/and other institutions
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
7. To encourage national and international cooperation through exchanging research results and expertise.
|
-Must cooperate with international national and international partners as exchange researchers and lecturers.
|
Increased national and international cooperation, sharing and exchange
|
UM/DPU/WU/NLU/
LNTU/
UPLB/
UPOU/and other institutions
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
7. Marketing Research and Development
|
1. To ensure academic staff gain appropriate benefit and acknowledgment from their research activity.
|
-Must provide incentives to excellent academic researchers.
|
Motivation for academic researchers to do more excellent researches
|
USEA academic researchers
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
2. To establish a process for ranking HEI academic staff.
|
- Must have annual ranking of academic staff.
|
Proper ranking of academic staff based on their accomplishments
|
USEA/
MOEYS
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
|
|
- Must have a transparent ranking considering their performance on teaching, research and consultancy work, attendance at workshop, writing and presenting papers at conference, writing papers for publication, teaching workshop for industry and other external organizations, gaining additional qualifications., etc.
|
|
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
P
|
3. To organize a system of rewarding academic staff with best results in research. | -Must have annual awarding of staff who did extremely well in priority sector of development in research work at USEA. | Rewarding the best researchers and can compete with MOEYS annual awarding of best researchers based on MOEYS call for proposal | USEA/MOEYS | P | P | P | P | P | |
4. To encourage research to link with new scientific, technological, economic, social and cultural initiatives. | -Must support researchers to carry out projects linking with new scientific, technological, economic, social and cultural priorities. | Increased of research in the updated areas of scientific, technological , economic, social, cultural and indigenous knowledge and culture |
USEA/
MOEYS
|
P | P | P | P | P | |
5. To facilitate links between research HEIs and the production and service sectors. | -Communicate with HEIs and the production and service sectors. | Increased linkages, widen communication, exchange of ideas, more cooperation and joint research |
USEA/
MOEYS
|
P | P | P | P | P | |
-Establish a strong linkage with HEIs and the production and service sectors by signing MOU. | P | P | P | P | P |
Source:
Accreditation Committee in Cambodia (ACC), 2010, Minimum Standards for Accreditation of Higher Education Institutions, Cambodia
Education Law of Cambodia, MOEYS, Cambodia
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MOEYS) Master Plan for Research Development in Education Sector, 2011-2015
USEA’s Master Plan for Research and Development, 2011-2015
Prepared by:
Date: 26 October 2011
Dina Delos Santos Dela Cruz, Ph.D
Director
Seen and approved: Seen and sent:
Date: Date:
Sien Sovanna Rous Bunthy
President Vice President