Ambassador of Cambodia asks Al-Azhar to allocate scholarships in medicine, pharmacy, engineering for Cambodian students

CAIRO – 13 June 2025: During his meeting with Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb on Sunday, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Cambodia to Cairo Ok Saron asked for allocating a number of scholarships for Cambodian students in the fields of medicine, pharmacy and engineering, citing his country’s urgent need for specialists in these areas.

Al-Tayeb welcomed this suggestion and voiced Al-Azhar’s readiness to provide these scholarships as soon as possible. Al-Azhar already provides scholarships in Islamic studies and the Arabic language. 

The Grand Imam stated that Al-Azhar is proud of its academic and advocacy ties with Cambodia, noting that international students have played a significant role in strengthening and advancing this relationship. 

Currently, 122 male and female students study at Al-Azhar, 97 of whom are on Al-Azhar scholarships. Al-Azhar provides 22 scholarships annually for students.

Additionally, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb affirmed Al-Azhar's readiness to host Cambodian imams for training at the Al-Azhar International Academy for the Training of Imams and Preachers, and to hone their skills in dealing with contemporary issues such as refuting extremist ideas, issues of coexistence and positive integration, and responding to the suspicions raised about the status of women in Islam. 

He also affirmed Al-Azhar's readiness to establish an Arabic language teaching center in Cambodia to meet the need of Cambodian Muslims and the Muslim community there to learn the language of the Noble Quran.