From 3 to 5 September 2025, the SIMPLE project held its first Inception Meeting in Cambodia – an important step in applying virtual reality technologies to strengthen environmental education in the country.

The event, hosted by the Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology (CADT) and represented by President Seng Sopheap, Vice President Hean Samboeun, and Mr. Kor Sokchea, gathered a wide range of participants. Alongside computer scientists, modelers, and pedagogical specialists, several teachers from Phnom Penh schools actively contributed to the exchanges.

The Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology (CADT) will serve as the lead agency responsible for implementing and coordinating the SIMPLE project in Cambodia.

Opening Speech by CADT’s President Seng Sopheap

Conveying a scientific message on Pesticide Use

The opening day centered on substantive discussions coordinated by SIMPLE’s team leader, Mr. Alexis Drogoul. Key insights were provided by Ms. Linna Ngang and Ms. Mathilde Sester, both biologists/entomologists from CIRAD, who shed light on the challenges surrounding pesticide use among farmers in Cambodia. The meeting was further honored by the presence of representatives from the EU Delegation in Cambodia, Ms. Flora Bertizzolo and Mr. Manuel Azibi, as well as IRD representative in Cambodia, Mr. Luc Le Calvez.

IRD representative in Cambodia, Mr. Luc Le Calvez

Ms. Mathilde Sester, biologist/entomologist from CIRAD

Together, participants emphasized the importance of making scientific knowledge on pesticide use accessible to students in Cambodia. They all expressed confidence that SIMPLE’s virtual resources could become valuable tools for raising awareness among children. After lively exchanges, the group agreed that combining multiple methods of pest control – integrating both pesticide use and agro-ecological practices – would form the most engaging scientific message to embed in SIMPLE’s upcoming Virtual Universe in the country.

One-day Game Jam

The SIMPLE technical team, in collaboration with CADT, successfully organized a one-day Game Jam with the objective of producing a demo based on the scientific message shared by experts on the first day. Within just twenty-four hours, under the coordination of the SIMPLE team, 3D artists, illustrators, and Unity developers created a prototype that offered participants a lifelike experience with different kinds of pests in the field, generating immense excitement among the first players.

SIMPLE’s technical team in collaboration with CADT during the one-day Game Jam

Teachers in Cambodia tried the Game Demo on Pesticide Use for the first time

Scientists provided constructive feedback on the Game Demo

Participants showed their excitement towards the Game Demo on Pesticide Use

Next Steps

The inception meeting in Cambodia marks a significant milestone in SIMPLE’s mission to expand across ASEAN countries. Building on the experience gained from the development and classroom implementation of two Virtual Universes in Thailand and Vietnam, the Cambodia component promises to benefit from lessons learned while fostering stronger coordination and more refined development of its Virtual Universe.

In the next six months, the SIMPLE team – working closely with CADT – will refine the scientific message with input from specialists and advance the development of the VR game for classroom application. On the pedagogical side, the team will work closely with teachers and schools to design a robust learning scenario that effectively integrates immersive technologies into education.