Mission in Cambodia: Training for better support for deaf children

From October 23 to November 3, 2024, two teachers from the Faculty of Pharmacy's Audiocampus took part in a mission to Cambodia in collaboration with theassociation Enfants Sourds du Cambodge (ESC).

Active for almost 25 years, the ESC association equips deaf children in Cambodia, but the follow-up of these devices remains a major challenge in the absence of local contacts.

Training local professionals

In 2022, ESC asked Montpellier's Audiocampus to develop an audioprosthesis training program in Cambodia. Two students from the Master's degree in Sensory and Motor Neuroprostheses, Thomas Dubois in 2022 and Daphnée Yin in 2023, took part in ESC missions to fit children with hearing aids and develop hearing tests.

In 2024, Prof. Jean-Luc Puel and Mr. Jean-Charles Ceccato took the next step by providing hearing aid training to specialist teachers at the National Institute of Special Education (NISE), in direct contact with deaf children. Following this training, a pilot Audiology Technician diploma was awarded, marking a significant step forward in the follow-up of children fitted with hearing aids.

Towards an international university partnership

The mission also laid the foundations for a collaboration with the University of Health Sciences in Phnom Penh. The aim is to co-develop a Bachelor's degree in Audioprosthetics, with the support of Audiocampus.