Université Francophone d’Asie (UFA) in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in partnership with Paris Panthéon-Assas University, will begin offering a French-language (known as a ‘Licence’ in France) bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Organisational Management and Digitalisation from September this year. The program will give Lao students and others from across Southeast Asia access to a French state-recognized university qualification without studying in Europe.
The program will follow the same curriculum as the one delivered at the Paris campus of Paris Panthéon-Assas University, with selected lecturers from France joining the teaching team. Graduates will receive the same French state diploma awarded in Paris.
Located on Koh Pich in Phnom Penh, the new campus is designed to provide students with an international learning environment close to businesses, emerging commercial districts, and future economic developments.
For students from Laos, Phnom Penh is less than a two-hour flight from Vientiane, offering a nearby option for pursuing internationally recognized higher education while remaining within Southeast Asia. UFA said the location also provides Lao students with a culturally familiar environment, allowing them to remain closer to home while making a gradual transition into international higher education.
The bachelor’s degree combines business administration, management, digitalisation, information technology, project management, law, and digital tools, preparing graduates for careers in an increasingly digital and international business environment.
A French-Language Degree in Phnom Penh
To maintain a high level of academic support, enrolment for the inaugural intake will be limited to 30 students. According to UFA Co-Director of Academic Affairs Fabrice Filachet, the intake matches the size of the same highly competitive program at the Paris campus of Paris Panthéon-Assas University. He said the smaller class size also allows the university to provide close academic and personal support during students’ critical first year, when many university students typically face the greatest challenges.
Applications are submitted online and include academic records, a personal statement, and supporting documents, followed by an interview with the academic team. Successful applicants receive admission decisions shortly after completing the selection process.
Filachet also said the admissions process was designed to be simple and student-focused, enabling applicants to receive decisions quickly so they can concentrate on their final secondary school examinations with greater confidence.
UFA also offers scholarships covering up to 80 percent of tuition fees for eligible students. The standard annual tuition fee is USD 11,900, while an introductory offer reduces the fee to USD 8,330 per year. An annual registration fee of USD 280 applies, while a degree certificate fee of USD 500 is payable during the third year of the program.
The university said the program aims to provide students with an internationally recognized education that combines French academic standards with a regional perspective, creating new opportunities for higher education and future careers in Southeast Asia.
Applications can be submitted through the Eduka admissions platform: https://ufa.eduka.school/login, while further information on academic programs, scholarships, admissions, and university life is available on the UFA website at www.ufa-universite.asia.
