Cambodia is a relatively small student recruitment market and one which has, thus far, not been on the radar for the UK education sector. However, as a rapidly developing country with an expanding number of international schools and outbound student mobility on the rise, it deserves a second look. While Australia has thus far captured the lion’s share of the study abroad market, the elites are becoming increasingly interested in the UK. The research suggests that should a few key challenges around branding and engagement be addressed, the UK stands to gain market share.  Nevertheless, as a relatively small market, any investment must be carefully balanced against the likely return. Thus, Cambodia presents an interesting case study on how UK universities can most effectively engage in such a market, including whether it should be managed as part of a regional portfolio or whether the acceleration of online platforms brought about by Covid-19 provide a more cost effective and sustainable way to build a presence in-country.

The report also explores the TNE landscape in Cambodia, finding that while it is a small market with low growth potential, Cambodian students appear interested to study UK TNE programmes available within the region, most notably in Singapore. And booming demand for language programmes and associated exams services presents opportunities for the UK’s English language sector in Cambodia.

The IES team at the British Council has taken a detailed look under the hood to assist the UK education sector to better understand the trends and opportunities emerging in this small but dynamic international education market.