BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF PHNOM PENH

The Present University, the former Khmer Royal University, was founded in 1960 with five Faculties: The Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Law and Economic Science, Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Paramedical, and National Institute of Pedagogy. The French language was the main language of instruction. In 1970, the name was changed to Phnom Penh University.From 1975-1979, the campus was closed and seriously damaged as a result of war and vandalism. Teachers were killed and University infrastructure was destroyed.

In 1980, the University was re-opened as a Teacher Training College and a Foreign Language Institute (1981). Both of these were created to meet the great need for teachers all over the country. In 1988, these two combined to create Phnom Penh University and in 1996 the name was changed to the Royal University of Phnom Penh.