The CHAIn project has completed 12 national replication workshops across 6 Cambodian partner higher education institutions, marking an achievement under Work Package 4: Capacity Building. Supported by the Erasmus+ programme, the workshops shared knowledge, practical approaches, and lessons from previous project activities with a wider community of higher education professionals and stakeholders.

Each partner institution organised two workshops, bringing together university leaders, academic and administrative staff, students, and representatives from institutions beyond the project partnership. The consolidated report documents at least 651 attendances across the 12 events. Even when identifiable trainers and panellists are excluded, the minimum participant and trainee count reaches 636, exceeding the project’s overall target of 480 by 32.5%.

The workshops were implemented by the Royal University of Agriculture (RUA), Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC), National University of Management (NUM), Phnom Penh International University (PPIU), University of South-East Asia (USEA), and Western University (WU). Together, these institutions extended the reach of CHAIn’s capacity-building activities and created opportunities for learning and cooperation across Cambodia’s higher education sector.

Translating Knowledge into Institutional Practice

The replication workshops addressed several interconnected priorities for higher education internationalisation, including International Relations Office development, international partnerships, student and staff mobility, fundraising, project proposal development, policy implementation, networking, sustainability, strategic planning, leadership, and global communication.

RUA and ITC focused on complementary areas of International Relations Office management and fundraising, helping participants explore institutional structures, partnership development, mobility support, funding opportunities, and project preparation. NUM connected networking and sustainability with International Relations Office foundations and strategic planning. PPIU emphasised policy implementation, networking, and sustainability, while USEA explored the translation of policy into practice alongside leadership and global communication. Western University addressed leadership, vision, international communication, and the foundations of International Relations Offices, strategy, and mobility.

These activities enabled participating institutions to adapt knowledge gained through the project to their own priorities and operating contexts.

Practical Learning and Peer Exchange

A common strength across the workshops was the use of practical and participatory learning methods. Group discussions, World Café activities, simulations, case discussions, panel sessions, interactive digital tools, and peer exchange encouraged participants to share experiences and consider how the approaches presented could be applied within their institutions.

The workshops also provided opportunities to build professional relationships across institutions. Participation from partner and non-partner institutions broadened the exchange of perspectives and supported CHAIn’s wider objectives of dissemination, cooperation, and network development.

Participant Feedback and Lessons for Future Activities

All six partner institutions collected participant feedback to assess workshop quality and identify areas for improvement. Findings were generally positive, with participants highlighting the relevance of the topics to their professional responsibilities and institutional internationalisation priorities. Practical examples, knowledgeable facilitators, teamwork, and opportunities for discussion were among the most valued features.

Feedback also identified priorities for future capacity-building activities, particularly additional time for discussion, hands-on exercises, and experience sharing. Participants expressed interest in more institutional case studies and examples of successful funding applications to help translate learning into practice.

The completion of the 12 workshops demonstrates the partners’ collective contribution to strengthening institutional capacity and sharing internationalisation expertise more widely. By connecting project learning with local needs, the CHAIn replication activities have supported a stronger foundation for international engagement and continued cooperation among Cambodian higher education institutions.