Haven’t you wondered about the oldest higher education institution here? It’s Kabul University. This esteemed institution stands as a beacon of knowledge. It is located in the heart of Kabul near the Ministry of Higher Education.
Kabul University’s story began in 1931. King Mohammed Nadir Shah founded it. His brother Sardar Mohammad Hashim Khan was prime minister at the time. The university opened its doors to students in 1932.
Initially, Kabul University forged partnerships. It worked with the governments of Turkey, France, Germany and the United States. Turkish professors established the first Faculty of Medicine in 1932. They also built the Aliabad Hospital on campus. Mehmed Ali Dağpınar established the Faculty of Law in 1936.
From 1932 to 1952, Turkish professors served at Kabul University. Urga, a Turkish surgeon, was the first president. He taught medicine and surgery for 17 years. Later, French professor Pierre Bolange became dean of the Faculty of Medicine.
Initially, only male students were accepted. However, in 1950, Kabul University opened its doors to women.
The 1960s saw an influx of foreign-educated scholars. Ahmad Shah Massoud and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar were among the notable students. Different political groups influenced the university. These included Khalqists, Parchamites and Ikhwanists.
During the PDPA governance, Kabul University faced challenges. It lost lecturers and staff. The civil war in the 1990s caused further disruption. The area around the university became a battleground.
After the Taliban’s removal in 2001, the international community helped rebuild Kabul University. The university partnered with Purdue University and the University of Arizona. The Information Technology Center was founded in 2002.
By 2008, Kabul University had 9660 students. Approximately 24% of them were women. In 2007, Iran donated funds to the dentistry faculty. The United States built the main library.
In 2008, the campus got local network facilities. Each building connected to the campus network. It also provided internet access through a fiber optic backbone.
In 2019, a car bomb exploded outside Kabul University. It killed 8 people. In 2020, ISIL gunmen attacked the university. They killed 35 and wounded 56.
Following the Fall of Kabul in 2021, the university fell under Taliban control. The Taliban replaced Chancellor Babury with Mohammad Ashraf Ghairat. In October 2021, Osama Aziz replaced Ghairat.
Kabul University reopened in February 2022. Female students attended in the morning and male students in the afternoon. In December 2022, Kabul University banned women from attending.
The Faculty of Environment Science has three departments. The Faculty of Law has four departments. The Faculty of Computer Science has four departments. The Faculty of Economics offers day and night shifts.
The Allama Iqbal Faculty of Arts was built in 2010. Pakistan funded it. The Faculty of Language and Literature has ten departments. The Faculty of Fine Arts has six departments.
The National Centre for Policy Research was established in 2003. It includes faculty from law, economics and social science. The library once held 200000 books.
Kabul University has produced notable alumni. These include former prime ministers and presidents. It has also produced ambassadors and activists.
Kabul University remains a symbol of hope. It has persevered through war and political upheaval. It continues to strive for excellence in service to Afghanistan.