An Update from South Asian University Volume 2, July 2009 From the Editor Dear Readers, We bring to you yet another edition of mijkT;iky jktfuokl CONNECT covering the activities related to the South Asian University in the second quarter fnYyh fnYyh 110 054 of 2009. Lieutenant Governor Raj Niwas Government of NCT Delhi has been very Delhi Delhi 110 054 generous in its support to the South Asian University project. We convey our heartfelt gratitude to HE Mr. Tejinder Khanna, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, for his continued Message support and encouragement and message of good wishes for SAU. The establishment of South Asian University in the We would like to express our gratitude to National Capital Territory of Delhi is a notable Prof.S.V.D.Gamini Samarnayake, Chairman UGC of Sri Lanka and Dr. Hassan Hameed, milestone in the development of South Asian Rector, Maldives College of Higher Education cooperation under the auspices of SAARC. for graciously agreeing to become Honorary Editors of CONNECT. Over many centuries past, Delhi has been a hub for Beginning this issue we are commencing a national, regional and global exchanges in the fields series titled Igniting Minds for Progress to of knowledge and culture. Openness of mind and a spirit of unbiased introduce higher education in SAARC Member States. In this issue we focus on Afghanistan. enquiry have been defining characteristics of our country. Tolerance, pluralism, a feeling of universal brotherhood, seeking the well being of Association with SAU and with CONNECT has been rewarding and satisfying experience for all and giving respect and space to people of different religious me. I hope that CONNECT will continue to persuasions and ways of life are facets of our existence which have receive continued support and patronage from enriched us in the past and will, no doubt, continue to do so in the its readers in various SAARC Member States. future as well. I wish SAU and CONNECT success in their noble endeavour to connect the hearts and It is my sincere hope that the South Asian University will pursue the minds of the people of South Asia. various academic curricula with the help of faculty and students drawn from all the member countries of SAARC, who will collectively contribute to strengthening our underlying bonds of fraternity and In this issue... shared goodwill. As the University succeeds in producing enlightened Rehabilitating and Rebuilding – Afghanistan Forges Ahead scholars who discern the underlying unity of mankind as a whole and Friendship and Understanding more specifically of the people of South Asia, our region will become at Maldives a more potent force for the promotion and sustenance of regional and South Asian University in the global peace and progress. context of Sri Lankan Higher Education System The Specter of Subaltern Tejinder Khanna Globalization Third Steering Committee Meeting Spotlight on Project Office Activities Igniting Minds for Progress be offered up to BA level in the State Rehabilitating and Rebuilding – educational institutes free of charge by the State.” Furthermore Education Law of Afghanistan Forges Ahead 1387 (2008) guarantees equal rights to education for all children. Nation is working towards rebuilding and ears of turmoil and conflict have had re-opening its universities and colleges, a deleterious impact on the education SAU – Hope in the making! Y and has tens of thousands of students system in Afghanistan. University Considering the history of the hoping to qualify for admission to higher campuses turned into war zones, education system in Afghanistan, and education. The capacities of current shattering the infrastructure and forcing looking at the challenges it is facing institutions are limited and cannot begin faculty members into exile or intellectual to meet the overwhelming hopes and isolation. to provide quality education to its youth, the setting up of a University like demands of students. Afghan society has a rich and diverse SAU has brought hope to the young Recognizing the enormous challenges history of education which was influenced Afghans to get access to world- class facing Afghanistan, the Ministry of Higher by a steady stream of travellers who came Education of Afghanistan (MoHE) has to Afghanistan as merchants, religious academic environment. Afghanistan can now look forward to participate in developed a Strategic Reforming Plan for preachers, invaders, etc. Buddhism (500 the next decade, targeted at improving an education programme that is going BC), e.g., brought its own curriculum and management, facilitating access to to be at par with the best Universities methods of teaching whereas Islam education, and augmenting financial of the World. The students can now brought its own tradition of masjid schools. support, as well as enhancing quality in Higher educational organizations dream of being a part of the advanced higher education through faculty flourished in Afghanistan during the 15th course and syllabi that will be selected development, curriculum reform and Century, particularly in Herat. In early 20th for the students of SAU. quality assurance. It has a realistic vision Century, modern western education was that focuses optimistically on the introduced under Amir Habibullah Khan opportunities and possibilities for a better (1901-1919). future. The vision is for a public and private The origin of foreign assistance to Afghan post-secondary education system, to be education goes to the end of the 19th (1962), Pharmacy (1959), Veterinary reconstructed with international quality century. Turkey and India were among the (1961), Home Economics, and and national accessibility, to meet the first donors. 57 students went to Bombay Polytechnic Institute (1967), and the strategic needs of the nation within the to learn automobile technology in Institute of Education (1954). Today, the next decade. It is characterized by the 1909. They were probably the first Kabul University has the largest enrolment following principles: with over 8,000 students, of which about Afghans to study abroad. Later, the United Broad access and improved quality 24 per cent are women. States, France, Germany, England, Japan, in student admission, without any and Egypt contributed to education and Education is once again enjoying prime discrimination by gender, religion, assisted in the establishment of the Kabul attention and is being seen as the ethnicity, race, class, or geography. University which opened in 1946. It had essential key to change from a culture of Honouring culture, religion and faculties of Medicine (1932), Law (1938), war to a culture of peace, democracy and tradition while incorporating modern Sciences (1942), Letters (1944), Theology positive growth. Article 43 of the 1382 scientific knowledge and methods. (1951), Engineering (1956), Agriculture Constitution states, “Education is the right (1956), Economics (1957), Education of all citizens of Afghanistan, which shall Educational quality and institutional management meeting international standards. Other initiatives taken by the Ministry for developing higher education at par with international standards include establishment of a national university credit system and contact with international universities through the internet. Through coordination and co- operation with the international community, good progress has been achieved in: reconstruction and refurbishing of destroyed and damaged buildings; increasing the number of students from 10,000 to 40,000 of which 25 per cent are women; reform of administration departments; establishing the computer systems in the MoHE, Students take an outdoor exam at Kabul University because of a lack of classroom space in universities and institutes of higher September 2006. The department building has since been restored. education; arranging scholarships and 2 SAU connect fellowships for students; publishing of magazines and daily and weekly Bold steps by Afghan Government newspapers; compilations and translation The Government of Afghanistan (GoA) of books and scientific papers. has taken bold steps to tackle the MoHE, while ensuring rebuilding and rehabilitation and development needs of continuance of old universities and the country. institutes, like Kabul University, Kabul In the past five years, it has made notable Polytechnic, and Kabul Medical Institute, efforts to revive the higher education is also engaged in the establishment of sector alongside the ongoing progress Dr. M Azam Dadfer, Afghan new universities and colleges which will in primary and secondary education. 19 Minister of Higher Education eventually exist in all Provinces. Some of higher education institutions reopened the new universities already established their doors and enrolment jumped from 4,000 students in 2001 to 37,000 in the fall include the Khost University, aka Shaikh of 2007. Zayed University (SZU), which was set- up in 2008 and offers courses in medicine, The Afghanistan government and the international community have agreed to expand engineering, computer science, the nation’s higher education sector to create jobs and meet projected requirements agriculture and technology for about for skills in key sectors, such as mining, construction and engineering as well as 3,000 students through its nine faculties. agriculture. This was announced at a UN-backed international conference on In 2008, MoHE signed agreements worth Afghanistan held in The Hague on 31 March. $4.6 millions to build universities in the A Strategic Reforming