The University of Puthisastra (UP) is thrilled with the grand opening of the UP Health Center, which also coincided with a special scholarship acknowledgement ceremony.

Taking place on Thursday, 3rd August 2023, the event was honoured by esteemed guests, including H.E. Sok Puthyvuth, Lok Chumteav Cham Krasna, and the Board of Directors of Soma Group alongside esteemed guests from the health care and science industry.

UP’s Health Center is dedicated to promoting health and well-being by creating a culture of preventive healthcare including Cambodia’s largest pharmacy, Cambodia’s largest teaching dental hospital and a medical center providing a wide range of medical services. Conveniently situated in the heart of Phnom Penh, this caring establishment aims to provide accessible, comprehensive, and high-quality healthcare services to individuals from all walks of life.

The scholarship ceremony celebrates more than 388 students receiving scholarships from UP – each scholarship is named after the late Samdach Vibol Panha Sok An whose foresight established UP as the leading health and technology university it is today. He would have been very proud of each scholarship student and the difference each scholarship makes to students’ lives and the future of Cambodia.

The grand opening and scholarship acknowledgement ceremony was marked by an impressive array of distinguished speakers and dignitaries underscoring the importance of the UP Health Center as a milestone achievement in Cambodia’s healthcare landscape.

Additionally, H.E. Sok Puthyvuth, graced the occasion with his wisdom and insight. As a strong advocate for quality education and healthcare, H.E. Sok Puthyvuth’s support further strengthens UP Health Center’s mission to provide accessible and cost-effective healthcare to all the community.

Professor Ian Findlay, President of the University of Puthisastra, stated, ” UP’s Health Center heralds a new era in healthcare for Cambodia. With its comprehensive range of services and commitment to preventive healthcare, the centre aims to revolutionize the way we approach well-being.

We are grateful for the support and collaboration of H.E. Sok Puthyvuth, Lokchumteav Cham Krasna, and the Board of Directors of Soma Group. Their presence and participation in this prestigious event demonstrate their shared dedication to creating a healthier future for all citizens of Cambodia.”

The grand opening of the UP Health Center and the scholarship acknowledgement ceremony promises to be a significant moment in Cambodia’s healthcare landscape.

Professor Jason Blackard’s visit to the Faculty of Medicine

Professor Jason Blackard visited the Faculty of Medicine from 7th August to 11th August 2023, delivering lectures to the medical students.

Professor Blackard is a world-renowned virologist, and full professor at the College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati in Ohio, USA. He received his PhD in Biological Sciences in Public Health at the prestigious Harvard University in Boston, USA in 2000. He then did a post-doctoral fellowship from 2002 to 2005 at Massachusetts General Hospital, also in Boston, where he investigated the interactions of flaviviruses with thehuman immunodeficiency virus. Professor Blackard is the Director of a Translational Research Laboratory focused on patient-centred studies of the hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, human pegivirus, BK polyomavirus, and the human immunodeficiency virus. For over 25 years, he has utilized many in vitro and in vivo approaches to understand viral pathogenesis, as well as the impact of viral diversity on diagnosis, treatment, and disease progression. He has developed many, very successful international collaborations in countries such as South Africa, Botswana, India, Nigeria, Mozambique, and Ghana. In 2017, Professor Blackard was appointed as the Associate Program Director for a Scholars Program responsible for mentoring junior faculty and facilitating their transition to independent research careers. He previously was the Program Director for the Pathobiology & Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, the Director of the Office of Global Health, and the Director of Medical Student Research Initiatives at the College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati.

During his one-week stay at UP, Professor Blackard gave lectures on viral hepatitis A to E, Pegiviruses, BK polyomavirus, and Interaction between viral infections and drugs of abuse, and delivered an interactive lecture on How to do research, with particular reference to virology.

The lectures were attended by a high number of medical students.

During his visit, Professor Blackard also discussed with Prof. Sandro Vento, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, possible future cooperation related to medical education.

Faculty of Dentistry Hosts Successful Workshop for Cambodian Dental Technicians

The Faculty of Dentistry successfully hosted a workshop on the IPS e.max, IPS Style system for making highly aesthetic crowns and bridges on August 11th at Hall-B. The workshop was sponsored by Ivoclar Vivadent and organized by Dental Crown Company. Over 70 dental technicians attended the workshop, the first of its kind to be held in Cambodia. As Cambodia has no formal training programs for dental technicians there is an urgent need for continuing education, and UP is proud to be a partner in providing this.

The speaker was Ms Thanh Cao, a dental technician from Vietnam with over 10 years of experience. She gave an overview of IPS e.max, IPS Style, including its indications, fabrication workflow, and clinical benefits.

The workshop participants were very impressed with the information presented. It was a great opportunity for our dental technicians to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in dental technology and to learn new techniques for fabricating high-quality restorations.

We are grateful to Ivoclar Vivadent and Dental Crown Company for sponsoring the workshop. We are also grateful to Ms. Thanh Cao for giving such an informative and engaging presentation, and we look forward to more workshops in the future.

Dr. Chea Sin was re-elected as board member of AASP from 2024-2025

Congratulations to Dr. Chea Sin, Dean of Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Puthisastra, on the special occasion that he was elected to continue as a Member of the Board of Directors (BOD) of the Asian Association of Schools of Pharmacy from 2024 to 2025.

This election was conducted in the AASP’s Biennial General Meeting held on the evening of August 04, 2023 at Macau City, China and this election was based on his huge contributions to the association in the last 5 years and his great vision to lead the Asian Association of Schools of Pharmacy to another stage of development in the future.

One Step Ahead – Professional Development in the English Faculty

In today’s ever-changing educational landscape, it is more important than ever for the English faculty to continue their professional development. With new technologies, teaching methods, and research emerging all the time, it is essential that English teachers stay up-to-date on the latest trends to provide their students with the best possible education.

There are many benefits to professional development.

Firstly, it can help teachers to improve their teaching skills. By learning new techniques and strategies, teachers can become more effective in the classroom and help their students to learn more effectively.

Secondly, professional development can help teachers to stay motivated and engaged in their work. When teachers feel challenged and supported, they are more likely to be happy in their jobs and to continue teaching for the long term.

Thirdly, professional development can help teachers to network with other educators and learn from each other’s experiences. This can be a valuable resource for teachers, as they can share ideas and strategies, and get support from their colleagues.

In the English faculty, we are always encouraging our lecturers to continue their professional development. Many of our teachers are pursuing another degree or external certification from international universities ranging from setting up asynchronous learning, TESOL strategies or advanced teaching methods.

In today’s competitive educational landscape, professional development is essential for any faculty who wants to always be one step ahead.

UP LIBRARY RECEIVES BOOK DONATIONS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION

Recently UP received a donation of excellent dental textbooks for its library from the Australian Dental Association. The books were hand carried by the visiting AHHA team – and there are more to come in the future. The shipment was arranged by Dr Steven Cohn (Director of the UP Postgraduate Diploma in Endodontics) and the AHHA team leader, Dr Michele Tjeuw.

Thank you ADA for your very helpful donation. The UP library is proud to have the largest collection of dental books in Cambodia.

Community Health Nursing

Nurses are the firstly caregivers n the healthcare system, especially at the community level. To comply with the nursing competencies, UP’s Nursing Department leds the activities such as vital signs monitoring, abdominal circumference, body mass index (BMI) and other health aspect to see the health problem in the community among the third-year bachelor nursing student on August 08th – 10th, 2023 at Preaek Rey Village, Preaek Rey Commune, Lvea Aem District, Kandal Province.

Moreover, this community internship highlights the learning and teaching of students to use common sense, especially the communication skill among nursing students to the general population at the community level. Furthermore, these activities help strengthen the capacity of all nursing students in the practice of actual illness and health issues and to provide education to the villagers to prevent various diseases, as nurses are playing an important role in client health care. In addition, it provides the essential time for nursing students to obtain experience and apply their knowledge, skill and attitude before they become real nurses in the future.

Dr. Chea Sin Paid a Visit to Macau State Research Laboratory

On the sideline of the 11th AASP conference held in Macau, Dr Chea Sin, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Puthisastra, was invited by the host to pay a visit to the State Key Laboratory of Quality Control Research in Chinese Medicine (SKL) and Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health (MIAR).
The objective of the visit was to exchange ideas on research activities and discuss on potential collaborations in R&D and Quality Control of Traditional Medicine, as well as applied research in Medicine and Health.

“Driving education improvement: A perspective from internship at University of Puthisastra”

Ms. Thanith Muy is a second-year student majoring in Biotechnology from California State Polytechnic University (CPP), USA. Currently, she is doing her summer clerkship in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology at the University of Puthisastra (UP). In the afternoon, Friday, 4th August 2023, she gave her second special presentation entitled “Driving education improvement: A perspective from internship at University of Puthisastra” to faculty members and especially both Science Research and Laboratory Sciences students at Hall H, UP.

It should be noted that Ms. Thanith’s internship lasted for two and a half months from June 12 to August 4, 2023. On the occasion of this presentation, the Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology, UP also presented a Certificate of Appreciation for her hard work during the internship by Mr. Ly Chanvatanak, Director of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology. The University of Puthisastra continues to welcome students from all universities nationally and internationally who wish to do internships or study visits to the University of Puthisastra.

QLTS PROVIDED A TRAINING ABOUT PROMOTING A POSITIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

Learning and Teaching-QLTS provided a significant training to our internal staff about “Promoting a Positive Classroom Environment” on July 29, 2023, which will play a crucial role in the success of both students and teachers.
It aims to:
1. to create a safe and supportive learning space to provide students with the resources they need to succeed, such as access to technology, books, and other learning materials,
2. to improve ownership of learning when students feel that they have control over their own learning within multiple choices in their self-paced assignments and team projects,
3. to increase motivation and engagement by making lessons relevant to students’ lives, using a variety of teaching methods to keep things interesting, and providing regular feedback on student progress,
4. to promote a sense of community that allows students to feel supported and encouraged like they are part of a community by participating in group work and collaboration, organizing class events and activities, and fostering positive relationships between peers,
5. to strengthen the mental health of the students so they feel mentally healthy, as they will be more likely to focus on their studies and perform at their best,
6. to foster the teacher-student relationship by taking an interest in their lives outside of school, providing regular feedback on their progress, and being available for one-on-one support when needed,
7. to boost a sense of belonging so that all students feel valued and respected, and
8. to encourage learning responsibility by setting clear expectations for student behaviour and academic performance. Shortly, all the above values of initiating positive classroom learning and teaching will help to create and facilitate optimal education productivity and success for all.

UP joins Sunrise Charity Foundation at Korng Meas District, Kampong Cham Province.

On August 6, 2023, one staff member, one alumni, and three students from the faculty of pharmacy at the University of Puthisastra joined the charity health checkup and dispensing of medicines for people in Korng Meas District, Kompong Cham Province, held by the Sunrise Charity Foundation. In this charity, the pharmacy has introduced and distributed medicine to more than 250 patients.

In addition to our pharmacist’s significant contribution to this charity to guide patients with the 5 R’s of medication,
1. The right patient
2. The right drug
3. The right dose
4. The right route of administration
5. The right time

Reverse Innovation Cohort3

Professor Ian Findlay, President of UP,, Dr TAM Sakirin, Vice-Dean of IT and YOM Mengchhay, UP Engagement Officer, attended “Reverse Pitch Day” of Reverse Innovation Cohort 3, which was organized by Techo Startup Center.

Reverse Innovation Cohort 3 is an accelerator program designed to find innovative and effective solutions for challenges related to Financial Technology (FinTech) or related fields, which are raised by Challenge Partners.

The 8 challenges of Reverse Innovation Cohort 3 are:
1. Personal Financial Literacy
2. How to convert all unbanked (OTC) users to bank account holders?
3. Innovative Deposit Solution
4. E-Commerce Channel Manager (for merchants)
5. Cambodia Digital ID
6. Personal Finance Solution
7. Co-Insurance Administration Marketplace for Insurers/ Insurance Companies
8. One-stop Onboarding & Training Solution for Delivery Drivers in Gig Economy.

Summer Workshop from UP Pharmacy students

UP’s Faculty of Pharmacy, organized a session to share the knowledge and experience of pharmacy students who attended the summer course “Cosmetics from bench to business” at The University of Gadjah Mada, Indonesia held on Saturday, 12th, August 2023, Time 1:00-2:00pm at Hall H of the University of Puthisastra, Cambodia.

This session shares a great deal of knowledge to all the participants such as:
• Share knowledge and experience that students gain after participating in a summer course in Indonesia for 3 weeks
• Various activities during joining on-site in Indonesia
• Sharing about students’ lives and friendship in Indonesia
We would like to invite all students and staff who interested in this workshop to register as soon as possible by feel free to registration from today through the QR Code or link as following: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_lE4GHNATCSNExuHdcwGNlp6G3eG0LxcZB2yNx-4-6S6pdg/viewform.

Welcome new staff to Faculty of Pharmacy

Ms. Lina Ly was born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She graduated Bachelor of Environmental Science in 2017 from the Faculty of Mathematics, Sciences and Engineering, Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia (PUC). There, she had an opportunity to be an intern in a social enterprise to test E.coli in water.

After she graduated, she worked a local NGO related to urban communities’ livelihood and health. Then she applied for a scholarship to study Master’s Degree in Thailand. Through her commitment and determination to work and study, her dream came true. She receive a scholarship from Her Royal Highness Princess of Thailand in 2019 to pursue Master of Science in Biodiversity and Environmental Management at International College, Khon Kaen University, Thailand where she graduated with her Masters Degree in 2021. Her research interest is in developing mushrooms into green materials to reduce waste for the environment and human health benefits.

After her graduation, she worked for a Japanese NGO related to sustainable agriculture with farmers. Later, she applied to be a Pharmacy Laboratory Assistant at the University of Puthisastra (UP), and she gained an opportunity to work at UP. She is delighted in this position and to assist in laboratory skills in Pharmacognosy to develop natural products in the faculty. Her goal is to contribute to developing natural products quality in Cambodia.

Welcome new lecturer to Faculty of Pharmacy

Ms. VORN Sovatey was born in Takeo province. In 2018, she graduated bachelor’s degree of Pharmacy from the University of Health Science and then worked for two years at a private medical laboratory to gain more experience in the clinical biology field.

As she was curious about human communicable diseases, she pursued a master’s degree of Biology of Infectious Disease at the University of Paris-Saclay and the University of Health Sciences. Throughout her academic journey, she had more opportunities to work in various research sectors including Institute Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) in Cambodia and Institute Cochin in France.

After she graduated in 2022, she intentionally involved herself in medical education and research development in Cambodia. Thankfully, the University of Puthisastra (UP) opens an opportunity for young people, allowing them to apply their skills and knowledge more effectively so she grabbed this chance to work with them in order to improve her qualifications.

Congratulations to all 4 UP Pharmacy staff and students

who successfully completed their 2023 Summer course the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA.

The Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Puthisastra, would like to express our deep thanks to the College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois, Chicago, for their warm welcome, support, and commitment to training our staff and students.

After they return, we will prepare a webinar in which they will share their experiences.

Faculty of Medicine’s Pre-Hospital Training for MD Year 4, 5 and 6 students

The Faculty of Medicine has recently organized pre-hospital training part 2 for year 4, 5 and 6 medical students. Many experienced instructors from different hospitals guided the training. Some important skills were introduced for the first time: for MD year 4, intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous injections and vital signs taking; for MD year 5, testicle and prostate examination, ear examination and neurological assessment; for MD year 6, female pelvic examination and intraosseous access.

The introduction of these new skills into the pre-hospital training program increases the knowledge and clinical practice of UP MD students.

Start new term for master students Y1T3 and Y2T3

Faculty of ICT is just launching the MSIT Program for Year 1 and Year 2 in their terms 3!
The MSIT for both of the Year 1 and Year 2 have the 13 weeks schedule for their terms!
We wish our students all the best for this excited journey on their New TERMS!!

A workshop on “ERP using Odoo” to ICT students!

Faculty of ICT and Odoo Academics are excited to conduct the free workshop for the students who are interested in joining this sharing workshop to gain their skills. The workshop will be conducted on the 25. Aug.2023 at 4:30-5:30pm Cambodia Time that is conducted in English with an online platform!

In the workshop, the students can gain knowledge such as:

• Students receive free workshops to introduce the concept of ERP (enterprise resource planning) and practice business workflow and technology together.
• Unlimited access to Odoo database: after the workshop, the students will get free access to all Odoo apps and e-learning platforms for up to 24 months.
• Scale-up, Odoo Business Game: The students will receive this free and fun tool to learn how to create and scale a business from scratch through 7 different business cases.
Interested in joining?
Fill the form below!
https://forms.gle/FNgatDnZECw6uQoSA

UP’s Health Sciences and Biotechnology Participated

in the 5th Annual Research Colloquium Organized by Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite

On the morning of August 3, 2023, the Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology of the University of Puthisastra participated in the 5th Annual Research Colloquium organized by the Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite under the theme “Research Innovation through Internationalization” The conference was attended by three universities: the University of Puthisastra, Cambodia, Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite, Philippines and University College MAIWP International, Malaysia, with the core purpose of exchanging knowledge, research and enhancing international collaboration between partner universities.

In this event, Bachelor of Science Research and Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Technology students presented 4 research topics under the supervision of lecturers and supported by the faculty members. The Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology is very pleased and thanks the Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite for cooperation and for providing the opportunity to the UP students to determine their abilities in the 5th Annual Research Colloquium and other future collaboration activities between the two universities.

UP’s 2nd Year Medical Laboratory Technology Students Start Their Clerkship

On the morning of August 3, 2023, the Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology of the University of Puthisastra participated in the 5th Annual Research Colloquium organized by the Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite under the theme “Research Innovation through Internationalization” The conference was attended by three universities: the University of Puthisastra, Cambodia, Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite, Philippines and University College MAIWP International, Malaysia, with the core purpose of exchanging knowledge, research and enhancing international collaboration between partner universities.

n this event, Bachelor of Science Research and Associate Degree in Medical Laboratory Technology students presented 4 research topics under the supervision of lecturers and supported by the faculty members. The Faculty of Health Sciences and Biotechnology is very pleased and thanks the Lyceum of the Philippines University Cavite for cooperation and for providing the opportunity to the UP students to determine their abilities in the 5th Annual Research Colloquium and other future collaboration activities between the two universities.