EU, France, and MPTC Launch Regional Student VR Competition to Advance Green Innovation and Digital Skills

• Proeksa Meas
• 25 September 2026
• Construction Focus
• 560 Views

The SIMPLE project, implemented by IRD and CADT under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy, empowers ASEAN students to transform environmental data into interactive virtual solutions for climate action

Phnom Penh: Fostering advanced digital capacity while addressing pressing environmental challenges has become a strategic priority for human capital development across Cambodia and the broader ASEAN region. On September 3, 2026, EU Ambassador to Cambodia Igor Driesmans, French Ambassador to Cambodia Olivier Richard, and President of the Cambodia Academy of Digital Technology (CADT) Dr. Seng Sopheap jointly inaugurated a regional Virtual Reality (VR) competition for university students during an official ceremony at the CADT campus.

Organized under the Sustainability Issues Multiverse for Building Participatory Learning Environments (SIMPLE) project, the initiative is co-funded by the European Union and implemented by the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD) in close collaboration with CADT. The competition invites university students from Cambodia and across ASEAN to leverage immersive technologies to model responses to climate change. Moving beyond viewing VR solely as a visual tool, the competition integrates advanced technical training with environmental stewardship, enabling students to convert complex ecological data into interactive, scientific scenarios within a virtual environment to solve real-world regional sustainability challenges.

This initiative aligns directly with the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy in Cambodia, which prioritizes higher education, digital transformation, and the green transition. Minister of Post and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth emphasized Cambodia’s commitment to leveraging digital tools to improve livelihoods, noting that support from European partners empowers youth to lead national digital transformation efforts. Ambassador Igor Driesmans highlighted that the program paves the way for students to address global issues through innovation, while Ambassador Olivier Richard stressed that building local expertise in VR creates long-term value for Cambodia’s growing innovation ecosystem. Following a live VR exhibition and campus tour, organizers officially launched the competition by providing participating students with comprehensive guidelines.

The launch of the SIMPLE project’s student VR competition marks a significant milestone in combining immersive digital technologies with actionable climate solutions. This collaborative effort between Cambodia, the European Union, and France equips the next generation with cutting-edge technical skills while accelerating the region’s broader transition toward green innovation and sustainable development. (read more)

• MPTC
• VR
• CADT