Based on the model of the European Economic Community, the ten countries of Southeast Asia making up ASEAN signed an agreement in November 2015 opening the way for the creation of an ASEAN community. The ambition of the countries of ASEAN is to develop a common market through the free flow of persons, goods and investment capital. However the development gap and quality of higher education and research among the ten member countries is still very evident. In this context it appears necessary to reinforce the research and innovation policy in Cambodia.Since the 2000s, Cambodia’s universities have been developing research projects and joint degree programs with European countries. However, the universities must now take on new challenges relating to building their institutional capacity in the areas of governance and quality control. Economic development and training of the future generations requires the modernizing of university structures.The project proposes to build capacity in partner institutions in the fields of research and innovation in the humanities, as well as, more broadly, to impact the operation of Cambodian higher education systems and to develop a ‘research culture’. Based on the competencies of partners and advanced university education, the project will offer training sessions and workshops for university faculties and students. These training sessions will deal with such crucial know-how and knowledge fields as control quality policy, human resources, writing project drafts, bibliographic research, and intellectual property and developing international partnerships.In tandem with training activities and with a precise focus on the human and material needs, an inter-university team of researchers will be established