HERAT CITY - None of Afghanistan’s universities has found a place among the world’s top 1,000 universities due to a dismally low level of excellence in the scientific domain and closure of research centres.
But the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) in Kabul argues the country’s universities will need time meeting global standards.
The Times of England recently published a list of world’s top 1,000 universities. None of Afghanistan’s universities was included in the list.
The survey of top universities was conducted by the Times with the cooperation of some other organisations between 2016 and 2017, based on the reading of 12,000 research books.
Herat University teachers say fewer students pursuing masters and doctoral studies, inadequate scientific contents and closure of research centres were the reasons for Afghan institutions’ failure to carve out a niche for themselves.
Eight universities in Iran, 16 in India and one in Pakistan have been included among the top institutions. America’s Harvard University with 100 points secured the first rank,
Astanford University, Stanford University of America with 98 points secured the second spot, with Massachusetts Institute of Technology getting third position. The UK-based University of Cambridge ended fourth on the list with 96 scores.
Dr. Ahmad Ghani Khasravi, a lecturer at Heart University, sees low qualifications, poor English proficiency and little scientific research behind the exclusion of Afghan universities from the list.
He wants government leaders and officials of MoHE yo struggle for enabling Afghan universities to find their way to the list.
“Researchers mostly focus on academics, quality of teaching, qualifications of lecturers and staff, research books and influence of universities,” he says.
On the other hand, a number of Herat University students said flaws in higher education system and inattention of government leaders were the reasons why none of Afghanistan’s universities was included in the list.
They asked the MoHE to provide research facilities at the country’s universities and keep sustained focus on promoting science and technology.
However, MoHE spokesman Faisal Amin said Afghanistan’s universities would take time measuring up to international standards.
He argued educational foundations had been destroyed during four decades of war in Afghanistan and time was needed to restore the education sector back to its health. (Pajhwok)