Under the new leadership of His Excellency Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, a systematic education reform was initiated. Eight reform items were put on the priority agenda. Among them, one was about the establishing a policy think-tank for education which become Education Research Council (ERC). The ERC was formally launched on the 12th March 2015 and institutionalized via Prakas No. 658 in July 2017. The council is comprised of three teams, namely ERC members, secretariat, and junior researcher team. The aims of creating the councils, according to the final concept note of ERC are to promote insightful thinking and innovative ideas in the education sector; the ERC is mandated to carrying out its missions as follows:
1. Discuss and analyze pressing issues in education reform and identify challenges for policy interventions;
2. Provide scholarly ideas and technical analysis to the Ministry;
3. Conduct research and share findings with MoEYS leadership, development partners and stakeholders;
4. Support the MoEYS in strategizing its Annual Congress Report, Education Strategic Plan, Mid-Term and Final Review;
5. Explore innovative ideas and good practices in the field of education.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned missions, seven key objectives are set as follows:
• To build a high-caliber think tank that produces relevant education policy analysis, reform strategies and realistic recommendations with the targeted end goal to promote insightful thinking and innovative ideas for improvement;
• To create an innovation lap driven by research and policy data that accelerate the pace and direction for education reform in Cambodia by building partnerships with all stakeholders;
• To be a partner in connecting Cambodia to high-caliber education resources across the region and the globe;
• To produce and disseminate key findings from the research done by the ERC team;
• To increase high-caliber research and policy papers;
• To serve as the bridge and catalyst for education improvement for all stakeholders;
To build local capacity by innovating ideas and raising standards of excellence Media Center