Improving Higher Education in Afghanistan - artf.af · ARTF Resuts Stories 2 Improving Higher...
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RESULTS AT A GLANCE ABOUT THE PROJECT Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund I October 2014 • 100% of the selected faculties revised and updated their curricula. • All 12 universities have developed and implemented strategic plans. • A five-year National Higher Education Strategic Plan was developed. • Student enrollment increased from 8,000 in 2001 to over 100,000 by 2012 in public universities and institutes of higher education. • Girls’ enrollment has increased from zero in 2001 to some 19,000 in public universities and institutes of higher education by 2012 (19% of the total). • Female faculty numbers increased from zero in 2001 to 16% of the total faculty number by 2012. The Strengthening Higher Education Program (SHEP) was implemented to progressively restore basic operational performance at a group of core universities in Afghanistan, to provide an institutional base for an agenda focusing on tertiary education development, capacity building and reform. The program supported the strategic planning and implementation of the development and reform program at twelve key higher education institutions through block grant (investment) and university partnership program (software). The program was the first phase of the long-term support in the development of higher education system in Afghanistan. Under the SHEP, basic operational performance has been restored in 12 core universities across the country and Core universities in Afghanistan, such as Nangarhar University, are attracting thousands of students as they rebuild infrastructure, increase resources and improve qualifications of teaching staff. Improving Higher Education in Afghanistan
Transcript of Improving Higher Education in Afghanistan - artf.af · ARTF Resuts Stories 2 Improving Higher...
RESULTS AT A GLANCEABOUT THE PROJECT
Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund I October 2014
• 100% of the selected faculties revised and updated their curricula.
• All 12 universities have developed and implemented strategic plans.
• A five-yearNationalHigherEducationStrategicPlanwasdeveloped.
• Student enrollment increased from 8,000 in 2001 to over 100,000 by 2012 in public universities and institutes ofhigher education.
• Girls’ enrollment has increased from zero in 2001 to some 19,000 in public universities and institutes of higher educationby2012(19%ofthetotal).
• Female faculty numbers increased from zero in 2001 to16%ofthetotalfacultynumberby2012.
The Strengthening Higher Education Program (SHEP) wasimplemented to progressively restore basic operationalperformance at a group of core universities in Afghanistan, to provideaninstitutionalbaseforanagendafocusingontertiaryeducationdevelopment,capacitybuildingandreform.
The program supported the strategic planning and implementation of the development and reform program at twelve key higher education institutions through block grant(investment) and university partnership program (software).Theprogramwas thefirstphaseof the long-termsupport inthedevelopmentofhighereducationsysteminAfghanistan.
Under the SHEP, basic operational performance has beenrestored in 12 core universities across the country andCoreuniversities inAfghanistan,suchasNangarharUniversity,areattractingthousandsofstudentsastheyrebuildinfrastructure,increaseresourcesandimprovequalificationsofteachingstaff.
Improving Higher Education in Afghanistan
ARTF Results Stories 2
Improving Higher Education in Afghanistan
CHALLENGE
APPROACH
Rebuilding higher education is a pressing and critical need for Afghanistan. With a critical shortage of professionals andleaders–engineers,technicians,administrators,accountants,agriculturist,businessleaders–thecountryfounditdifficulttomeettheneedsofreconstruction,growthandpovertyreduction.Afghanuniversitiessufferedfromalargemajorityoftheproblemsthattypicallyplaguepublictertiaryinstitutionsinmanydevelopingcountries:low quality, lack of relevance, insufficient funding, lack of appropriate physical facilities, weak links with theeconomy,andweakgovernanceandmanagement.Whiletheseproblemshavecertainlybeenexacerbatedbywaranditsnegativeeconomicconsequences,theyreflecteddeepstructuraldysfunctionsthatrequiredcarefulattention.Also,problemsofextremelylowgirlsenrollmentinthehighereducationneededtobeaddressed.
AtthecoreoftheStrengtheningHigherEducationProgramwastheprogressiverestorationofbasicoperational performance of core universities in Afghanistan,whichprovidedaninstitutionalbaseforanagendaoftertiaryeducationdevelopment,capacitybuildingandreform.
TheprogrambeganinJune2005andoriginallysupported six universities (Kabul, Balkh,Herat,Kandahar, Nangarhar, and Kabul Polytechnic),mainlyintheareasofphysicalinfrastructureandimprovement of staff development, curriculum, and equipment. With additional funding in 2010, six more universities (Bamyan, Khost,Takhar,Jawzjan,Al-BeroniandKabulEducationUniversity)receivedassistance.
TheARTFprogramfacilitatedandfinancedpartnershipprogramsbetweenAfghanuniversitiesandestablishedforeignuniversities (especially thosewithin theSouthAsia region).Financialand technicalcontributions fromvariousfoundationswereactivelysoughtintheprocess.Thepartnershipprogramprovidedsupportfor:curricularevision and preparing facility plans; training programs forAfghan faculty at partner institutions; and visitingprofessorships inAfghanistan for partner institutions.Additionally, block grantswere provided to support theinstallation of basic administrative systems and procedures and to improve academic programs in order toenhance the performance of universities.
The program supported a new governance system in all higher education institutions through: defining therelationshipbetweentheMinistryandhighereducation institutions inorder to facilitate/promotetheautonomyandaccountabilityoftheinstitutions, identifyingtheinformationflowbetweenuniversitiesandtheMOHE,andreviewing thefinancingstrategies forhighereducation, includingdeveloping funding formulaeandmobilizingexternalresources.Thesupportwasprovidedforaqualityassurancesystemwhichfacilitatedthedevelopmentofanautonomousaccreditationandqualityassurancesystemforbothpublicandprivateuniversities.
ARTF Results Stories 3
RESULTS
• 100% of the selected faculties revised and updated their curricula• Alltwelveprojectuniversities:
� Constructedorrenovatedatleastonenewbuildingforteachingandlearning; � Establishedafunctionalstudentservicecenterandstartedofferinganewstudentorientation; � Developedandimplementedstrategicplans; � Conductedselfevaluations.
• 49%offacultyatthetwelveprojectuniversitiesachievedatleastaMaster’sdegree;• 50%ofadministrativestaffatMoHEandtheprojectuniversitiesreceivedmanagementtraining;Computer,
sciencelabsandlibrariesmadeoperationalinselectedfacultiesofall12universities(12projectuniversitieshaveatotalof84sciencelabs,50computerlabs,and37librarieswhicharefullyoperational);
• A National Quality Assurance Commission was established and national standards for QA has beenintroducedtoalltwelveprojectuniversities;
• AHigherEducationInformationManagementSystem(HEMIS)wasdevelopedandintroducedto9projectuniversities
• Afive-yearNationalHigherEducationStrategicPlan(NHESP2010–2014)wasdeveloped;• TheGenderStrategy(2012–2014)waslaunched• TheNationalEntranceExamination(Kankor)wasreformed• Morethan65privateinstitutesofhighereducationwereestablished,withnearly50,000studentsenrolled,
licensedundertheMinistryofHigherEducationby2012.• Studentenrollmentincreasedfrom8,000in2001toover100,000by2012inpublicuniversitiesandinstitutes
of higher education• Girls’ enrollment has increased from zero in 2001 to some 19,000 in public universities and institutes of
highereducationby2012(comprising19%ofthetotal)• Femalefacultynumbersstoodatzeroin2001andincreasedto16%ofthetotalfacultynumber(3,230)by2012
STORY FROM THE FIELD: Offering higher education opportunities for allJALALABAD, Nanghar Province–TowardstheendofJunethousandsofstudentsarealreadyclamoringtofindaspaceatNangarharUniversity.However,spaceandbudgetlimitationswillallowonly2,000tobeaccepted,saysProfessorArifullahMandozai,deanoftheengineeringfaculty.
NowatNangarharUniversity,13faculties insuchdiversesubjectsaseconomics,medicine,politicalscience, lawandSharia,andliterature,offerclassestoabout10,000students,notesDr.MohammadSaber,theuniversityChancellor.
SHEPprovided funds toconstruct thebrightnew two-storyengineeringbuilding,whichopened threeyearsago,with11classrooms,alargeconferenceroom,computerlabandthedean’soffice.Inaddition,repairswere done to oldwings, andall the university’s IT equipmentwaspurchased throughSHEP.“Students are now connected with the whole world to do research, or connect with other professional people to help solve their problems. This is a great gift.”Sabersays.
Both,menandwomenarewelcometostudyatNangarharUniversity.However,pursuinghighereducationisachallenge forwomen inAfghanistan.Rozina,23,a third-yearstudentof literature,sayssheonlywishesmorewomenattended theuniversity. “Islam says both men and women should study and be educated. After all, it is mothers who must also give good training and information to their children,”saysRozina. “This is very important. But right now it is very difficult for us.”
ChancellorSabersays theyoungwomenwhoattendhisuniversityare “very strong and brave.” “We also want to support women to study here. It is important that we all try to move ahead while respecting traditions. We don’t want to make any provocations. The main thing is for women to get higher education.”
ARTF Results Stories 2
The Strengthening Higher Education Program (SHEP) is financed by the World Bank and theAfghanistanReconstructionTrustFund(ARTF).TheprogrambeganinJune2005withagrantof$40millionandin2009,itwasgrantedanadditional$4.1million.
MOVING FORWARD
PARTNERS
TheWorldBankteamisworkingcloselywiththeMinistryofHigherEducationandtheuniversitiesonpreparingthenextphaseofsupportforhighereducation.Apreparationgrantof$4.9millionwasapprovedbytheARTFManagementCommitteeinJune2013.ThepreparationgrantprovidessupportforthepreparationoftheHigherEducationSystem ImprovementProject.HESIP is developedbasedon the findings in theHigherEducationSectorReport prepared by theWorld Bank and the implementation experience of the StrengtheningHigherEducationproject(SHEP).Thisproject,whenfullydesignedandreadyforimplementation,aimstosupporttheupdatedhighereducationstrategicplanandthedevelopmentprogramfor2015-2019thattheMinistryofHigherEducation is updating. Key elements of this updated program include increasing the participation of femalestudents in higher education, expanding the stock ofwell-qualified academic staff in universities, developingsystemsforgreaterautonomyandaccountabilityofuniversities,andimprovingthelabormarketorientationofdegree programs.
Partners in the program included theWorld Bank, theMinistry of Higher Education ofAfghanistan and theuniversities of Kabul, Balkh, Herat, Kandahar, Nangarhar, Bamyan, Khost, Takhar, Jawzjan,Al-Beronim, theKabulEducationUniversity,andtheKabulPolytechnic.
BANK GROUP AND ARTF CONTRIBUTION
Contact info:WorldBankKabulOfficeStreet15,House19WazirAkbarKhanKabul,IslamicRepublicofAfghanistanTelephone:0700-27-60-02
Ditte [email protected]
ARTFResultsSeries2013-All documents available at http://www.artf.af
About this series:ARTFatWorkhighlightsdevelopmentresultsandachievementsemergingfromtheARTFProgram,aswellastheirimpactonpeople’slife.TheseriesisproducedbytheARTFadministrator.
