SMWU Empowers ASEAN Women Students Through Blended Digital and Entrepreneurship Training
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2026-08-06
A class session at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Sookmyung Women's University has delivered hands-on training to strengthen digital literacy and employment and entrepreneurship skills for 110 female students from partner universities in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
The Asia-Pacific International Women's Information and Communication Technology Center (APWINC) at Sookmyung ran the "2026 Women in Digital & Entrepreneurship (WiDE)" program for one month.
The program is a core initiative of the UNESCO UNITWIN Network, led by APWINC as a UNESCO Chair institution and carried out under the Ministry of Education's Official Development Assistance (ODA) initiative. This year, three partner universities took part: Souphanouvong University in Laos, the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia, and Quy Nhon University in Vietnam.
A key feature of this year's program was the introduction of a new step-by-step blended learning structure combining online education, in-country training, and career development activities. Students first built foundational skills through online coursework, then completed advanced, country-specific training through local fieldwork tailored to each nation's industry, before extending their learning into career development activities aimed at employment and entrepreneurship.
Group photo at the Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cambodia
During the June–July program, students completed three weeks of online foundational training covering core digital and entrepreneurship concepts, including Python programming, data visualization, and the basics of starting a business. This was followed by one week of in-country training that reflected each country's industry characteristics and policy priorities—agriculture in Laos, tourism in Cambodia, and digital technology and AI in Vietnam.
Kao Sokleng, a student at the Royal University of Phnom Penh who took part in the in-country training, said, "Data analysis has always been an area I'm passionate about, and this program deepened my understanding of it. I hope to build on what I learned here to pursue a career in data analysis and achieve the job I've always dreamed of."
Through October, APWINC will provide follow-up career development support for top graduates in collaboration with partner universities' industry-academic cooperation centers, startup support organizations, and local companies. Planned activities include corporate field trips, meetings with local startup CEOs, and career consulting, aimed at building a sustainable partnership model that connects education, industry, and career development.
Group photo at Souphanouvong University, Laos
Dr. Nguyen Van Thang, UNITWIN program coordinator at Quy Nhon University in Vietnam, said, "The greatest strength of the WiDE program is its practical, project-based approach to applying AI and digital technologies. It's especially meaningful because female students build confidence and leadership through team projects while strengthening their digital skills and competitiveness in the job market."
Sook-jeong Lee, director of APWINC, said, "We will continue to provide practical training tailored to the industry needs and educational demands of our partner countries, helping students develop digital and entrepreneurial skills they can apply in the field and translate into employment and business opportunities."