Dr. Visalsok Touch, the Rector of the University of Battambang(UBB), Cambodia, visited KAERI on February 4, 2010, to discuss areas of possible cooperation between KAERI and UBB.

He paid a courtesy call to President Yang and exchanged views on ways to promote cooperation between KAERI and UBB, and on matters of common interest including agriculture and food irradiation. A wide spectrum of the Advanced Radiation Technology Institute’s activities was presented at the meeting.

Dr. Visalsok Touch expressed his wish to seek KAERI’s support in Cambodia’s endeavors to promote a peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the future, and Dr. Yang responded positively, voicing his willingness to cooperate in this regard.

Building hydroelectricity and coal power plants will be the immediate priorities for expanding electricity generation and reducing reliance on imported oil. Althoughhaving its first nuclear power plant is still far in the future for Cambodia, it remains its goal.

Nuclear engineering has been introduced to Cambodia, and computer programming for engineers, numerical analysis for engineers, fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, nuclear reactor theory, nuclear reactor thermal-hydraulics, and radioisotope application are being taught at UBB.

UBB founded in 2007 by H.E. Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng, is one of the largest universities in Cambodia under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sport. UBB’s goal is to educate the leaders of tomorrow in a wide range of fields through a balance of theory and practice, and the integration of real world experiences into academic education.

Cambodia, which joined the IAEA in 1958, withdrew its membership from the Agency on 26 March 2003. It rejoined the Agency on 23 November 2009.