PHNOM PENH - Following the previous interview on information engineering, Italian Professor Riccardo Corrado, vice-chairman of the Italian Business Chamber Cambodia, shares with Cambodianess suggestions and recommendations on why students should consider Italy to pursue higher education.

The number of Cambodian students enrolling in higher education in Italy is limited when compared to other countries and this can also be an advantage.

Ky Chamna: What is Italy famous for when it comes to the offering of scholarships to international students?

Riccardo Corrado: You know, I received a few scholarships when I was a student in Italy. Still, all of them were the so-called merit scholarships, partial scholarships students get when they achieve specific academic results. I didn’t know much about studying for free or full scholarships.

In Italy, the higher education system is, for the large part, public, and it is quite affordable compared to what you may think in other developed countries. It depends on your family’s income. This means many students with relatively low incomes study for free. Usually, in public universities, the yearly tuition may range between free and three thousands euros per year, depending on the income your family has.

When I arrived in Cambodia, I was exposed to a scholarship culture where students actively seek scholarships in Cambodia and abroad. That is normal because Cambodia doesn’t have an income-based tuition system, and we have many private universities, which is uncommon in Italy.

Yet, in Italy, there are many scholarships, primarily for international students, and two are open specifically to Cambodians. They are welcoming applicants from the Kingdom since, recently, the number of Khmer applicants has been extremely low, probably due to the unawareness of its existence, compared to neighboring countries.

To give you an idea, compared to roughly 500 applicants from Vietnam and 250 from Thailand, only around five applicants were from Cambodia. It’s a pity, mostly considering the large number of talented Khmer students actively looking to study in Europe and keep applying for hyper-competitive scholarships.

Ky Chamna: What are some of the most important scholarships that students in Cambodia should look for in Italy? Are there also any good scholarships in Italy that students often overlook?

Riccardo Corrado: In Italy, there are three major scholarships made available specifically for foreign students. One is called Invest Your Talent in Italy (IYT) scholarship, which supports international students pursuing master’s degrees in engineering, design and economics, with courses taught entirely in English.

This government scholarship provides a stipend, roughly one thousand euros, tuition fee exemption, free Italian language, and a professional internship in an Italian company combining high-quality education with real-world experience. Unfortunately, today, this is not open to Cambodians yet, but there are two.

One is called STUDY in ITALY, a program funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation that offers scholarships to international students who wish to pursue master's degrees, higher education courses in arts, music, and dance, PhDs, and Italian language and culture courses.

The third one is called the DSU (Diritto allo Studio Universitario) scholarship, and it is a regional (regions in Italy are somewhat similar to provinces in Cambodia) financial aid program that supports students from a low-income background, including usually free tuition, accommodation, meals and a cash allowance.

Ky Chamna: Why should students consider Italy rather than other countries in Europe, China, Australia or the United States?

Riccardo Corrado: Well, first, because there are many scholarships available, they are still overlooked by Cambodians due to the lack of awareness, who are craving applicants from Cambodia. Thus, the competitiveness for Cambodian applicants will be inherently lower compared to the one that Cambodians usually apply for.

Besides this obvious reason, there are many other reasons. Number one, I would say the style of life in Italy, the so-called "la dolce vita". This expression which comes from Federico Fellini’s 1960 film La Dolce Vita literally means "the sweet life," and it is an iconic depiction of a way of living celebrating pleasure, beauty, and enjoyment of life’s simple moments.

It symbolizes Italy’s charm, a balance between elegance, relaxation, and the joy of living well. Some people unfamiliar with Italian culture think it is related to the simple concept of only enjoying life, but this is not true. Italians have a strong work ethic. Rather, La Dolce Vita represents the approach to life where beauty and enjoyment in little life’s moments are celebrated.

The second point, which is important for a learner, is based on the quality of education. Universities in Italy are renowned for their quality, you can see how many researchers and academicians who studied in Italy are also working worldwide, and for the high degree of research outcome.

Additionally, the increasing connection between universities and companies, something that the government has prioritized, is offering opportunities post-graduation, and Italy’s manufacturing sector is one of the best in the world in terms of quality. One of the leading Italian entrepreneurs told me a few weeks ago that if “Made in Italy” was a brand, it would be the third most famous brand in the world.

Another aspect to consider is the overall safety for a student, the welcoming nature of Italians, the mild Mediterranean weather, which is easier to adapt to for Cambodians, the familiar food and the overall low cost of life.

To give you an idea, UNI ITALIA, a non-profit organization that works closely with Italian diplomatic offices abroad and that promotes the internationalization of Italian academic institutions, estimated that for one year of study in Italy without a scholarship, you may end up paying between ten thousand and eleven thousand euro in tuition, living costs, transportation and more. In some private universities in Cambodia, this is the cost just for tuition for one year. Imagine now if you can get one of the many available scholarships.

Finally, as previously mentioned, the immersive experience that a student gets in Italy. Italy is a special place. A mix of arts, history, beauty and academic excellence that is unique. It provides students with the opportunity to learn deeply, appreciating and internalizing the important mixture between quality, excellence, and beauty.

The same entrepreneur I mentioned before told me that, “You know, I make highly technological devices that fit inside a box and are placed in locations that you can barely see. But it doesn’t matter; I make sure the box looks beautiful because everything I do needs to be beautiful to the eyes, regardless of whether someone sees it or not.” This is being Italian in a nutshell.

Ky Chamna: Currently, based on the information you have in hand, how would you view Cambodian students’ interest in pursuing scholarships in Italy?

Riccardo Corrado: As I mentioned before, the overall awareness among Cambodian students of Italy as a study destination is still relatively low. It may be due to the relative absence of institutional presence. Italy has an embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, but not in Phnom Penh and the previous weak administration of Italian Cambodian Business Association, now rebranded as Italian Business Chamber Cambodia (ItaCham), national chapter in EuroCham Cambodia.

In the past four months, with the change of board and the complete overhaul of the chapter, ItaCham has grown four times bigger, and the number of activities and events organized in the past six months has surpassed that of the entire seven-years life. We have also organized a few sharing sessions of UNI ITALIA in some international high schools and universities.

I personally organized, with the endorsement of UNI ITALIA, a session for sharing information and steps to follow for studying in Italy, with or without a scholarship. I am also working with Italian universities to extend their presence in Cambodia, with MoUs with local universities, establishing summer schools, or even establishing dual degrees or ad-hoc scholarships.

Things are changing step by step, and my vision is to bring Italy among the top destinations for study and cultural exchange among Cambodians. Give me some time, and I will make it happen. Anyway, anyone who wants to study in Italy, but also in general in Europe, is welcome to reach out to me.

Ky Chamna: How does the social atmosphere in Italy help contribute beneficially to the way scholarship students learn?

Riccardo Corrado: Excellent question. For students, it is essential to consider the quality of education and the atmosphere. Ultimately, it is also a life experience, so it is important to consider this aspect. I have mentioned this before, but I will recall the idea of La Dolce Vita again.

The interconnection of beauty, elegance, and life enjoyment in every moment, whether it is admiring a beautiful Renaissance sculpture, eating a pizza in front of the Mediterranean Sea, trekking on the Dolomites, or studying in a classroom that looks like a museum.

For example, Palazzo Braschi, a large Neoclassical palace in Rome located near the iconic Piazza Navona, is open to students, allowing them a space as a study room. Or the National Central Library of Firenze, where you can have a unique experience between reading and studying surrounded by millions of works. Or the Palazzo Boggi, in the heart of the world's oldest university, the University of Bologna.

Or also studying while sipping a cappuccino in Caffe San Marco in Trieste, a legendary literary cafe founded in 1914, once frequented by writers like James Joyce and Italo Svevo, perfect for reading, writing, or studying while surrounded by bookshelves and old-world charm, and drinking your Italian coffee. They are unique experiences that I would suggest to anyone.