An ad for a fledgling scholarship program being offered by British American Tobacco Cambodia has landed local company officials in hot water due to a “premature” choice of words.
The ad, which ran several times in The Cambodia Daily as well as the Khmer-language newspapers Rasmei Kampuchea (Light of Cambodia) and Koh Santepheap (Island of Peace), sought applicants for a two-year program of study at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.
The ad described the scholarship as being offered by BAT “in association with” Monash University.
The problem, local BAT officials said, is that arrangements have not been completed with the university, which strongly objected to its name being used in the ad.
Monash said it was not involved in a joint scholarship program with the tobacco company, according to a report in Australasian Business Intelligence.
“The scholarship program is real, and it is going to happen,” said Kun Lim, corporate communications manager at BAT’s head office in Phnom Penh.
He said the ad was premature in naming Monash and should not have implied the university was a co-sponsor.
The two-year scholarship program leading to a master’s degree will be entirely funded and administered by BAT, he said.
He said the program may, in fact, end up at Monash University, but talks are also continuing with several other Australian institutions.
The scholarship program, which offers majors in marketing, finance, economics, information technology or management, is intended to develop leadership potential among Cambodians.
It is open to BAT employees, government officials or any others who have already earned a bachelor’s degree and are fluent in English. The scholarship covers all course fees, airfare, living expenses and student fees.
About 100 people have applied for the single scholarship being offered this year, for a program of study that begins in July.
Brendan Johnson, training and development manager at BAT, said, “If it is successful, we will look at expanding it. At this stage, our intention is to continue it every year.”
Whoever wins the scholarship will be expected to work at BAT for a period that has not yet been determined, but will be between two and four years, Kun Lim said.
Any subsequent ads, Kun Lim said, will clarify that the scholarship is funded by BAT for study at “a leading Australian university.”
