Phnom Penh International University

What Phnom Penh International University does

Phnom Penh International University (PPIU) is a private higher-education institution founded in 2002 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, by Rector Tep Kolap (initially as "ASEAN University," renamed in 2006 under Sub-decree No. 111). The university offers degree programs across four credential levels — Associate, Bachelor, Master's, and Doctoral — organized into four faculties: Science and Information Technology, Business and Tourism, Law and Economics, and Education Science. The institution has grown from 1,050 founding students to over 7,000 students and is licensed and quality-assessed by Cambodia's Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, including a 2018 alignment assessment against the ASEAN Quality Assurance Framework by the EU-funded SHARE program.

The university's core technology stack is modest: an e-learning platform delivered through a partnership with the Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC) providing 18 online courses over the CamREN network, the NewGenLib 3.1.1 open-source library management system for its 13,000+ volume library, and Telegram channels for student communication. There is no proprietary learning platform, no disclosed AI/ML capability, and no public or partner-facing API. International academic mobility is delivered through partnerships with 15+ institutions including the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University (BSRU), Ubon Ratchathani University (UBU), and Shinhan University, plus participation in the EU-ASEAN SHARE scholarship program.

PPIU's business model is anchored in tuition and academic fees, supplemented by a ~$450,000 USD World Bank HEIP grant (received October 2022 via the Ministry of Education), a student loan partnership with Prince Bank (up to USD 3,200 at 10% annual interest), and a tiered scholarship program (10 full-ride, 50 at 50%, 250 at 30% per cohort). Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the single Phnom Penh campus, with recruitment coordinated through the Ministry of Education's scholarship examinations. Specific tuition rates are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Phnom Penh International University

Legal name

Phnom Penh International University

Website

https://ppiu.edu.kh

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Phnom Penh International University is a private Cambodian higher-education institution offering Associate through Doctoral degrees across four faculties to over 7,000 students, operating from a single Phnom Penh campus under Ministry of Education licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Junior Colleges (6112), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Diploma-to-Degree / Articulation & Credit-Transfer Pathways (EDAIAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in Education (EDADALAD), University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Postgraduate education
• Scholarship and loan programs
• International student exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Phnom Penh

HQ country

Cambodia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue from tuition fees across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs including associate bachelor, bachelor, postgraduate diploma, and doctoral levels.
2. Government Funding and Grants: Received over $450,000 USD from Ministry of Education under World Bank HEIP program for curriculum development and infrastructure improvement.
3. Student Loans Partnership: Partnership with Prince Bank provides student loans for tuition, creating financial access partnership.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PPIU is a private university in Cambodia that delivers higher education degree programs at associate, bachelor, master's, and doctoral levels across four faculties — Business and Tourism, Law and Economics, Science and Information Technology, and Education Science. Beyond degree instruction, it offers an e-learning platform (via partnership with the Institute of Technology of Cambodia), a library of over 13,000 volumes, scholarship and student loan financing, and international student exchange programs in partnership with ASEAN and EU universities.

Product overview

Phnom Penh International University (PPIU) is a private university in Cambodia offering comprehensive higher education services across four academic levels (Associate, Bachelor, Master's, and Doctoral degrees). The university operates through four faculties: Faculty of Science and Information Technology, Faculty of Business and Tourism, Faculty of Law and Economics, and Faculty of Education Science. PPIU provides traditional classroom education with supplementary services including library facilities and various student support programs. The institution has expanded its offerings since 2002, adding specialized programs such as International Relations and Logistics Management. PPIU operates primarily as a physical campus-based educational institution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor Degree Programs Undergraduate degree programs across four faculties — Business and Tourism, Law and Economics, Science and Information Technology, and Education Science — offered to Cambodian and international students.
• Associate Degree Programs Foundation/associate degree programs for students completing secondary education, providing an entry pathway into higher education at PPIU.
• Master's Degree Programs Graduate-level degree programs for advanced academic and professional development, offered across PPIU's faculties.
• Doctoral Programs Doctoral degree programs for research and academic excellence at PPIU.
• International Relations Program International Relations program covering state-to-state relations, international organizations, and diplomacy, offered as a specialized academic program within PPIU's degree portfolio.
• Logistics Management Program Logistics Management program covering supply chain, transportation, and warehouse management — the first such program officially authorized by the Ministry of Education in Cambodia.
• Library Services University library holdings and lending services using the NewGenLib 3.1.1 management system, with over 13,000 volumes including books, newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, and e-resources.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 7,000 students enrolled representing growth from original 1,050 students
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 April 2021Extended 5-year MOU (2021-2025) for continued e-learning collaboration, technology in teaching and learning (TnL), startup and SME programs, and faculty exchange.
• Ministry of Education, Youth and SportcoreOthers · 1 January 2020PPIU received over $450,000 USD funding under World Bank HEIP program for curriculum development and infrastructure. Scholarship programs administered through Ministry selection.
• CamEd InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2019Co-organizers of DIES-NMT Cambodia 2019-2020 program for higher education management training. Received 37,035.10 EUR funding including 20,941 EUR from DIES-NMT program.
• DIES-NMT (Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019PPIU co-hosted DIES-NMT Cambodia 2019-2020 workshops for academic deans with CamEd Institute. Training workshop 2 held at PPIU venue, supported by German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and German Rectors' Conference (HRK).
• Prince BankcoreOthers · 1 January 2018Student loan partnership offering unsecured loans up to USD 3,200 at 10% annual interest rate, grace period of 4 years, up to 8 year repayment. No collateral or processing fees required.
• Shinhan University (South Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 November 2017Visit and discussion meeting held at PPIU to explore potential cooperation in academic exchange and collaborative programs between the two institutions.
• Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC)coreTechnology or Integration · 31 October 2017MOA for e-learning course exchange. PPIU is the first private university to partner with ITC for 18 online courses via e-Learning system, connected to CamREN educational research network. ITC supports 2 subject area developments annually.
• Sakura International Academy (Japan)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2017Japanese university delegation visited PPIU to discuss potential collaboration and partnership opportunities in academic exchange.
• Ubon Ratchathani University (UBU) - ThailandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2017PPIU students participate in Language and Culture Camp at UBU alongside students from USA, Australia, France, Korea, China and ASEAN countries. Annual exchange program providing international exposure.
• Asian Institute of Technology (AIT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2017MOU signed for academic cooperation including student and faculty exchange, joint degree programs, dual degrees, research collaboration, and seminars. Focus areas include postgraduate education (Master & PhD) and academic mobility.
• Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University (BSRU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017PPIU has maintained partnership with BSRU Thailand since 2011 for student exchange, cultural programs, and ASEAN Youth Camps. This is one of PPIU's longest-running international partnerships, now in its 7th year with annual student and faculty exchanges.
• EU-ASEAN SHARE Scholarship ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017SHARE (Scholarship for Higher Education) funded by European Union supporting student exchange between ASEAN universities. PPIU is one of 4 Cambodian universities in the program, hosting and sending students for semester exchanges.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Paragon International University: Private Cambodian university in Phnom Penh offering bachelor and master's degrees with a similar four-faculty structure (Business, IT, Law, Education), competing head-to-head with PPIU for the same price-sensitive domestic student segment.
• University of Cambodia (UC): Phnom Penh-based private university offering undergraduate and graduate programs with strong international partnerships; directly competes with PPIU for Cambodian students seeking English-instructed, internationally-oriented higher education.
• BELTEI International University: Large Cambodian private university group with multiple campuses, offering associate through master's programs; competes with PPIU on tuition pricing, scholarship programs, and program breadth in Phnom Penh.
• Asia Euro University: Phnom Penh-based private university with international partnerships and programs in business, IT, and engineering; comparable to PPIU in scale, fee structure, and target student demographic.
• Cambodian Mekong University: Private university in Phnom Penh offering business, law, IT, and education programs with similar international exchange and scholarship offerings, directly comparable in size, location, and target market to PPIU.
• Pannasastra University of Cambodia: Phnom Penh-based private university emphasizing liberal arts and international curriculum, competing for the same English-medium instruction, ASEAN-oriented student segment that PPIU targets.

Others

• Institute of Technology of Cambodia (ITC): Leading public engineering university in Cambodia and PPIU's closest e-learning and academic partner; relevant as a peer/partner that shapes PPIU's quality perception, exchange flows, and competitive overlap in IT and science programs.

Broad incumbents

• Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP): Cambodia's oldest and largest public university; the dominant incumbent in Cambodian higher education whose brand, scale, and subsidized pricing create the primary competitive ceiling for PPIU's enrollment growth.
• RMIT University Vietnam: Australian-linked international university with a strong regional brand operating in Indochina; comparable international, English-medium higher education model that aspirational Cambodian students may choose over PPIU, particularly for pathway/articulation options.

Regional players

• National University of Management (NUM): Cambodia's leading public business and management university; competes with PPIU for management, economics, and business students but at significantly lower tuition, setting a price benchmark PPIU must differentiate against.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ppiuoffical
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtQK_K719j7z3urWlNyeQjA?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/ppiu.edu.kh.ppiucam
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialppiu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phnompenh-international-university

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Phnom Penh International University