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Background

Recognizing the need for secondary school students to learn foreign languages, the Ministry of Education established a Cambodian English Language Training Program (CELT) along with an Australian non-governmental organization, Quaker Service Australia (QSA), in 1985. CELT was designed primarily to provide English language training to government officials and to improve secondary school teachers' language abilities. The project developed significantly between 1985 and 1993, with class intakes expanding from 15 to almost 150 students.

The Department of English was established as part of CELT, with financial and academic assistance from QSA, who managed it until 1993. It was then handed over to a joint project between the International Development Program (IDP), Education Australia and the University of Canberra. This project was funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) until the end of 1996.

In 1993, the four-year B.Ed. (TEFL) degree curriculum was developed in consultation with the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS). In 1997, the four-year B.A. (English for Work Skills) course was introduced to enhance English knowledge and skills for current and future employment. Today, the IFL's Department of English is regarded as one of Cambodia's leading language institutions, offering two full-time undergraduate degree programs and one full-time Masters program.

The Department of English co-hosted the Fifth International Conference on Language and Development in 2001 and the 1st CamTESOL Conference in 2005, in association with IDP Australia. The Department played a key role in the organization of the event, presentation of papers and participation in workshops.

Contact Info

Head of Department:

Dr. Keuk Chan Narith
Phone: (855) 23-885-419
Office: IFL Campus

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