Ideas on Leaders and Current Issues among Cambodian Students

Abstract

Using data gathered in a course on leadership, this paper examines two key perspectives from Cambodian university students: i) who they see as effective leaders, and ii) which current issues and problems they believe are the most critical ones facing their country. The results show that these students often see family members, especially their fathers, as the leaders they look up to the most, followed by Cambodia’s long-ruling former monarch, King Norodom Sihanouk. American Presidents, especially Barack Obama, were also a common choice. Regarding important current issues, the data shows that education, traffic, environmental issues, and corruption all take a prominent place in these students’ minds.