How can we ensure that higher education becomes an engine of social inclusion and equal opportunity for all people, regardless of their physical and motor abilities?
Breaking Systemic Barriers for the Full Development of the Individual
Higher education is a key lever for the socioeconomic and political progress of both the individual and the community. With this in mind, GAIN was launched with the goal of transforming the higher education landscape in Cambodia, making it more inclusive, equitable, and accessible for people with disabilities (PWDs).
GAIN seeks to address the systemic barriers that PWDs—including individuals with mobility, visual, hearing, speech impairments, and chronic health conditions—face in Cambodian higher education. These groups have long been marginalized due to the lack of appropriate policies, support services, and accessible infrastructure. In line with the Cambodian Education Roadmap 2030 and the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025, the project aims to turn national and regional guidelines into actionable practices, ensuring Cambodian Higher Education Institutions are fully accessible and equipped to support PWDs’ diverse needs.
GAIN in action: the first meeting in Phnom Pehn
The project officially kicked off in January 2025 in Phnom Penh, where partners aligned on the framework for implementing the project’s activities over the next four years. The roadmap adopted by the partners is inspired by both the National Strategy for Higher Education 2030, which emphasizes the role of higher education in social inclusion, and the ASEAN Enabling Masterplan 2025, which integrates the rights of PWDs into regional policies, highlighting the importance of dignity, non-discrimination, accessibility, and equal opportunities.
A Case Study: GAIN at the Intersection of Innovation and Replicability
To achieve substantial and lasting change, the GAIN project employs a quadruple helix approach, bringing together four key sectors: government, academic institutions, civil society, and the private sector. This collaborative model focuses on policy development, capacity building, and the implementation of inclusive practices in Cambodia’s educational institutions, with the aim of creating a sustainable and replicable model for inclusion in higher education.
Led by a consortium of five Cambodian and four European partner institutions, in collaboration with the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport, GAIN is set to drive systemic change. The project will serve as a case study for other ASEAN nations, contributing to a broader transformation of the educational system in the region.
Contact chiara.francavilla@cesie.org to learn more!
About the project
GAIN – Growing Accessibility and Inclusion in Higher Education is a project funded by ERASMUS-EDU-2024-CBHE-STRAND-3.
Partners
- INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY OF CAMBODIA (Coordinator, Cambogia)
- ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF PHNOM PENH (Cambogia)
- UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH EAST ASIA SIEM REAP (Cambogia)
- WESTERN UNIVERSITY PLC (Cambogia)
- PHNOM PENH INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITYCO LTD (Cambogia)
- MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, YOUTH AND SPORT (Cambogia)
- PANEPISTIMIO PATRON (Greece)
- UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA TOR VERGATA (Italy)
- RESEARCH INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT LAB (Greece)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
For further information
Read more about the project.
Contact Chiara Francavilla: chiara.francavilla@cesie.org.
