Perhaps you’ve heard whispers of a place where Afghan scholars once debated communism. That place is Kabul University. It stands as one of Afghanistan’s oldest and most significant institutions. Kabul University is near the Ministry of Higher Education in Kabul.
Kabul University’s story began in 1931. King Mohammed Nadir Shah and Prime Minister Mohammad Hashim Khan founded it. The university opened its doors to students a year later.
Did you know Turkish professors played a key role in Kabul University’s early days? In 1932, they established the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Kamil Rifki Urga led this group of Turkish medical experts. They also built the Aliabad Hospital on campus. Turkish architects and physicians oversaw its construction. In 1936, a Turkish professor Dr. Mehmed Ali Dağpınar established the Faculty of Law.
The first Turkish professors served at Kabul University from 1932 to 1952. Dr. Urga, a Turkish surgeon, became the first president of Kabul University. He and 15 other Turkish physicians taught medicine for 17 years. Later, a French professor, Dr. Pierre Bolange, became the Dean of Medicine in 1952.
The first graduates of Kabul University’s Faculty of Medicine numbered only nine. However, they went on to play important roles in Afghanistan. Dr. Muhammad Yusuf became prime minister. Prof. Dr. Fattah Najeem also became a significant figure.
In the 1960s, Kabul University became a hub for new ideas. Foreign-educated scholars brought new perspectives to the campus. Students were exposed to communism and feminism. They also learned about capitalism. Ahmad Shah Massoud and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar were among the notable students of this era. Political groups such as Khalqists and Ikhwanists found influence here.
The main library of Kabul University is the best-equipped in Afghanistan. The United States built it. It features computers, books, and magazines. Nancy Dupree, an American archaeologist, directed the Afghanistan Center at Kabul University.
In 2008, Kabul University’s campus gained local network facilities. Each building was connected to the campus network. A fiber optic backbone provided internet access. Voice over IP technology also improved telephone communication.
Kabul University has faced difficult times too. In July 2019, a car bomb exploded outside Kabul University. It killed eight people and injured 33. In November 2020, ISIL gunmen attacked the university. Thirty-five people died and 56 were wounded.
Today, Kabul University has many faculties. These include the Faculty of Environment Science and the Faculty of Law and Political Science. There is also a Faculty of Computer Science and a Faculty of Economics. The Allama Iqbal Faculty of Arts was built in 2010 with help from Pakistan.
The National Centre for Policy Research operates at Kabul University. It was founded in 2003. The library once held 200,000 books. It also contained 5,000 manuscripts. Civil war led to the loss of many of these materials. Despite challenges, Kabul University continues to serve Afghanistan.