CETA Welcomes Students from Herat

In an effort to revive the undergraduate engineering curriculum at the University of Herat, Afghanistan, after 30 years of war and neglect, CETA and that university have formed an alliance spearheaded here by Dr. M. Saleh Keshawarz, associate professor of civil engineering in CETA and a native of Afghanistan. In support of the rebuilding work, the project has received two grants: $215,000 from the U.S. Agency for International Development (UNSAID), awarded in February 2007, and $1.3 million awarded by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education from funds given to the Ministry by the World Bank.

Dr. Saleh Keshawarz addresses the reception.

For the past two years, Dr. Keshawarz and various University of Hartford faculty members have traveled to Afghanistan to work with the engineering faculty on the engineering curriculum. The Minister of Higher Education, the Steering Committee for SHEP (Strengthening Higher Education Program), and Mr. Abdul Hai Sofizada, senior advisor to the Minister of Higher Education, have all been involved in the discussions, along with the Chancellor of the University of Herat, Dr. M. Naim Assad; the Dean of Engineering, Mr. Abdullah Kazemi; and the Chair of Civil Engineering, Mr. Azizrahman Azimi.

Mr Sofizada speaks with Professor Beth Richards, who has traveled to Herat University to work on the technical communications and English portions of the engineering curriculum there.

In the fall of 2007, two faculty members from Herat, Mr. Azimi and Mr. Noor Sayed Jami, came to CETA to work on their Master’s degrees in civil engineering. And on August 11, a reception was held at the Harry Jack Gray Center to welcome nine of their colleagues, who have joined them to study in CETA. On hand to greet the students and make presentations during the reception were President Walter Harrison, Provost Lynn Pasquerella, Chancellor M. Naim Assad, Dr. Keshawarz, CETA’s associate dean Dr. Hisham Alnajjar, and Mr. Sofizada.

Attending the reception are (l. to r.) front row: Mary Dowst, Dr. Hisham Alnajjar, Dr. Beth Richards, Mahsa Khatibi, Said Faisal Rahmani, Azizrahman Azimi, Homaira Fayex; Back row:Noor Sayed Jami, Edris Naseri, Abdul Hai Sofizada, Dr. Saleh Keshawarz, Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, Chancellor M. Naim Assad, Dr. Walter Harrison, Sayed Abdul Basit Mododi, Noman Moheb Rahmani, Mohammad Tariq Popal, and Ahmad Sohail Rahimi.

In welcoming the students to the University, President Harrison said that the University community is aware of how much we have to learn from one another. “You’re teaching us about Afghanistan,” he said, which is an important part of the process that will “make a difference in the world. Today is a wonderful milestone in a great program.”

In his remarks, Chancellor Assad spoke about the history of his university. When the Taliban were removed from power, Herat had 400 students and 40 faculty members, none women. Now, 6,000 students, of whom 34 percent are women, attend the university in 53 departments. To reach this point and continue building, Herat has had to find ways to send faculty abroad to get their Master’s degrees. The World Bank’s grant has made it possible for Herat to build partnerships with universities around the world, among them this one with the University of Hartford.

Chancellor Assad presents President Harrison with a gift.

Mr. Sofizada explained the long-term vision of higher education in Afghanistan. When the Taliban government collapsed, there were 4,000 university students in the entire country. Now there are 60,000, and the Ministry is working to increase the capacity for higher education by licensing private universities and sending students abroad, for example.

SHEP was formed in 2005 by the World Bank and the Ministry of Higher Education in partnership to focus on six major universities and specific disciplines. Engineering is considered crucial because it will contribute to the rebuilding of the country. English language skills are also valued because of its international importance.

SHEP programs have two components: block grants for labs and physical plant, which must be linked to the other component, the partnerships. Security considerations can make the partnerships hard to form, and so Mr. Sofizada expressed the gratitude of the Afghani participants for all of the university partners, the faculty members, and the leadership of the universities, and Saleh Keshawarz. “The Ministry is committed to this partnership and will work to keep it going beyond the contract period and make it traditional,” Mr. Sofizada said.

Honored guests and speakers at the August 11 reception include (l. to r.) Dr. Alnajjar, Dr. Keshawarz, Provost Pasquerella, Chancellor Assad, President Harrison, and Mr. Sofizada.

Other speakers included Dr. Alnajjar, who spoke about CETA and the various programs offered here; Dr. Tom Filburn, who discussed industry-academic collaborations; Dr. Keshawarz, who spoke about Afghanistan and the partnership; and Mr. Azimi. He was the Chair of Civil Engineering at Herat and has been here studying the longest, so is helping his colleagues find their way around Hartford and the University. He spoke of the students’ learning and their eagerness to take what they have learned home so that they can “have a good living situation.”

CETA welcomes our Afghani colleagues and looks forward to learning from them.