AUPP was established in 2013 as a Cambodian university (license) with an American curriculum. There were three founders who envisioned a new university that would meet international standards and be based on the US educational system. AUPP began operations in May 2013 in a temporary facility in Toul Kork. It was grounded on several principles: senior managers were to be highly qualified, experienced western administrators with administrative skills and experience in academic affairs; faculty must have terminal degrees from U.S. institutions or other western countries, and teaching experience in western institutions; an undergraduate curriculum that meets U.S. accreditation requirements for a balance between liberal arts education and appropriate coursework for a major; and the recruitment of students who aspire to high levels of achievement.
