The School of Education at the University of Nottingham and the Cambodian Children's Fund (CCF) have celebrated eight years of education collaboration, with a fitting tribute.
Since 2017, the university has provided educational expertise, planning and research, teacher training and professional development to develop CCF's Education Program – and it continues to create a generation of teachers capable of delivering a world-class education to some of the most disadvantaged children in Cambodia.
To mark the eight-year long partnership, CCF (a non-profit organisation) presented the university with a stunning stone carving – a smaller replica of one in the traditional Angkor-Wat-style, hanging in the entrance of CCF's high school, the Neeson Cripps Academy (NCA) in Phnom Penh.
The ongoing collaboration, which offers teaching and education staff the opportunity to study for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education International (PGCEi), began with an introduction from Robert Cripps, Vice-President Philanthropy and Art of the Cripps Foundation and long-term CCF supporter. The Cripps Foundation and its affiliates have had an extraordinary impact on the university over many years and are one of the institution's most generous donors.
What began as a visit in 2017 from the university's School of Education to the NCA grew into the long-term partnership to develop CCF's Education Program. And in 2021, the organisation launched its first PGCEi cohort, marking a significant milestone in the professional development of its staff and teachers.
Dr Lucy Cooker, Professor of International Education and Faculty Director of Global Engagement for Social Sciences at the University of Nottingham, who enrolled CCF teachers on the PGCEi course, said:
I put together what has now become a 10-year project in terms of a teacher education plan (for CCF), developing teachers, knowledge and understanding, and building this very rich focus of expertise within the school, which included the PGCEi."
The Cripps Foundation gifted the carving – which depicts Cambodia's rich cultural history and a vision of the future, to thank them for their work, expertise, and support of CCF to ensure that all children can achieve their true potential, irrespective of background.
Robert Cripps officially unveiled the replica carving in Nottingham on 27 November last year, along with CCF founder Scott Neeson, at a ceremony attended by university President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Jane Norman.
"The Cripps Foundation constructs education buildings around the world, but it is what happens inside them that matters," said Robert Cripps. "Without teachers, pupils can't learn. That's why we need to give children the best quality education and the best-trained teachers we can - and that's why the collaboration with the University of Nottingham is so important."
Scott Neeson, Founder and Executive Director of CCF, added: "At Cambodian Children's Fund, we believe that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. Our partnership with the University of Nottingham is empowering countless teachers and transforming the lives of disadvantaged children in Cambodia. Together, we are creating a brighter future where every child has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential."
The carving will grace the entrance to the Monica Patridge Building, the university's brand-new Learning and Study space for all students.
