it structures for higher education in afghanistan...it structures for higher education in...

IT Structures for Higher Educationin Afghanistan

Project Overview2001 – 2014

ZiiK-Report Nr. 36

Center for international and intercultural Communication (ZiiK)Technische Universität BerlinFaculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

In cooperation with:

Ministry of Higher Education in Kabul

Afghan Universities

Funding:

Imprint:Edited by Dr. Nazir PerozCompiled by Daniel Tippmann, Anna Marković

Zentrum für internationale und interkulturelle Kommunikation (ZiiK)Technische Universität Berlin, Fakultät IV (Elektrotechnik und Informatik)Fraunhoferstr. 33-3610587 Berlinwww.tu-berlin.de/ziik

November 2014

ISSN 1619-3660

Contents

Greeting from Prof. Dr. Obaidullah Obaid V

A Word from Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer VII

A Word from Prof. M. Osman Babury IX

A Word from Dr. Dorothea Rüland XI

Preface XIII

Acknowledgment XV

1. Introduction 1

2. Kabul 5

3. Herat 17

4. Balkh 27

5. Nangarhar 35

6. Qandahar 39

7. Summer and Winter Academies 43

8. Computer Science Master's Program for Afghan Lecturers 45

9. PhD Program for Afghan Computer Science Lecturers 51

10. Alumni Program for Graduates of the Computer Science Master's 53Program for Afghan Lecturers

11. IT Administrator Training 55

12. Conferences, Workshops and Symposia 57

13. Management and Administration 77

14. Development of IT Concepts 81

Appendix: Pictures from Various Activities 83

Greeting from Prof. Dr. Obaidullah Obaid

Nowadays, Information Technology (IT) is shapingall areas of life in Afghanistan and is changing socialand cultural values. Investments in IT infrastructureand IT education have significantly contributed tothese changes. In the past 13 years, IT has emergedas a central pillar of performance at the Afghanuniversities and has helped to achieve major pro-gress in terms of innovative capacity, campus net-works, administration etc. which is of great relev-ance for the development of IT throughout Afgh-anistan.

Hence, the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) in cooperation with TU Berlinhas developed „Measures for the Implementation of the National IT StrategyPlan for Higher Education in Afghanistan” in 2012. These have also been dis-cussed with Dr. Peroz during my visit at TU Berlin at the end of 2012. The mostimportant goals of these measures have been quality improvement in the IT edu-cation sector, creation of reliable IT infrastructures, modernization of the admin-istration and a sustainable and secure operation of IT systems.

The documentation at hand is a vivid example for a thorough and sustainableconcept for the development of IT structures in the area of higher education inAfghanistan. It shows the results of more than 13 years of tireless efforts of theZiiK of the TU Berlin in and for Afghanistan.

I will take the opportunity to express my thanks to the German Government, theGerman Federal Foreign Office, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD),the TU Berlin and especially the ZiiK and Dr. Peroz for the support in this import-ant field.

Prof. Dr. Obaidullah ObaidMinister of Higher Education in Afghanistan

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A Word from Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer

In our age of globalized information technology,computers are access gates to the world. Binarycode has become the lingua franca of the inter-connected generation, and the technological ar-chitecture of chips and motherboards is some-thing like a blueprint of humanity’s internal organ-ization. Education in information technology (IT) istherefore vital to any society that wants to helpbuild our world’s future.

These observations might seem obvious to manypeople, but in a country like Afghanistan they ringparticularly true. There is no need to recapitulate the hardships which theAfghan people have had to endure during recent decades. Bad news often dom-inates the country’s international image. But this is a short-sighted perception.Overlooked by many international bystanders, the young people of Afghanistanhave started to re-connect to the global communication network.

Dr. Nazir Peroz and his team at the Center for international and interculturalCommunication (ZiiK) of the Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) have – to-gether with the international education experts of the German Academic Ex-change Service – played a decisive role in this success story. Through exchangeprograms that brought Afghans to German universities and through infrastruc-tural development cooperation in Afghanistan, they have built up a functioning,self-sustaining teaching and research environment.

After more than a decade of diligent, highly professional and dedicated work,they can already look back on a great achievement. Five universities now havewell-trained staff and the necessary technical facilities to teach the nuts andbolts of information technology to hundreds of Afghan students each year.

This initiative can and should stand as an example for the future of high-level sci-entific and educational cooperation. Dr. Peroz and his team tailored this programto the actual needs and possibilities of Afghanistan’s society and economy. Theoutcome is best practice in international cooperation: a self-sustaining educa-tional framework that will grant Afghanistan’s youth a stake in the modern worldof communication technology.

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I am proud that the German Federal Foreign Office supports this extraordinaryinitiative. I thank Dr. Peroz and his team at the ZiiK of the TU Berlin for their in-credible efforts. Equally, I want to thank the German Academic Exchange Service,our trusted partner in international scientific and education cooperation, for itscontribution. But most of all, I want to thank the Afghan government and theteachers and students in Afghanistan for their enormous dedication and commit-ment to ensuring their country’s competitiveness. They are the future of theirnation.

Prof. Dr. Maria Böhmer, MPMinister of State, Federal Foreign Office

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A Word from Prof. M. Osman Babury

Within just one decade, Information Technology (IT)has become an essential part of almost all work atAfghan universities, higher education in general andAfghan society overall. Teaching and administrativeprocesses are highly dependent on IT systemswhich are a part of the daily routine of lecturersand students, scientists and the administrative staff.IT supports them independent of time and placeduring their communication, exchange of informa-tion and data, be it text and images or audio andvideo transmission.

All this has been achieved due to the tireless efforts and commitments of theGovernment of the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Federal ForeignOffice, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the Center for inter-national and intercultural Communication (ZiiK) of the TU Berlin, especially itshead Dr. Nazir Peroz.

The Ministry of Higher Education considers investing in human capital to be cru-cial to the future of Afghanistan. Thus, the higher education system is to be fur-ther strengthened and both the social and economic development of Afgh-anistan promoted, built on the foundation of the IT Strategy of the MoHE, to sta-bilize Afghan society.

From the outset, the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) has been a key sup-porter of the use of IT. This documentation presents the history of the activitiesof the ZiiK of the TU Berlin in Afghanistan in the area of IT and Computer Sciencesince 2001.

To further implement the IT Strategic Plan of the MoHE, the MoHE and theAfghan universities need to sustain and intensify their cooperation with the Gov-ernment of the Federal Republic of Germany, the German Federal Foreign Office,the DAAD and TU Berlin. The goal is to contribute to the establishment of a na-tion-wide common IT supply system and to educate as many people as possibleon an international level.

I praise Germany as one of the most dedicated partners among all our friendsand donors who supported Afghanistan's higher education system from the be-

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ginning. I take this opportunity to thank the Government of the Federal Republicof Germany, the German Federal Foreign Office, the DAAD and TU Berlin.

The MoHE is looking forward to a continued successful cooperation with the ZiiKof the TU Berlin during the next decade.

I wish Dr. Peroz and his team good luck and great success.

Prof. M. Osman BaburyDeputy Minister of Higher Education for Academic AffairsMinistry of Higher EducationAfghanistan

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A Word from Dr. Dorothea Rüland

The room in Kabul was like a place outof time. It had a dusty table, a shelf,and two or three battered chairs.Cables could be seen through gaps inthe ceiling, but there was no light.Some of the German delegation mem-bers raised their brows – it was hard toimagine that such a location might everbecome the scene of one of the mostoutstanding success stories which theAfghan academic reconstruction pro-cess has known so far.

As the leader of this DAAD delegation which undertook a fact finding mission toKabul in March 2002, I still have a vivid memory of the breathtaking state of de-struction and the unexpected lack of infrastructures. But I also recall the enthusi-asm and friendliness of the people who seemed determined not to give in tofrustration and trauma but to take the challenge for a brighter future.

Today, twelve years later, the situation has changed fundamentally. The dark anddusty room of 2002 is now bright and clean and well-equipped. ITCK, the IT Cen-ter of Kabul University, was set up in just a few months and opened in March2003. Since then, it has provided training to more than 3,000 Afghan academics,takes care of the university’s IT needs, and has recently adopted the function ofthe country’s first national training center for IT administrators.

Thanks to the continuous effort of Dr. Peroz and his team of the Technical Uni-versity of Berlin, IT structures and Computer Science have become a reality inAfghan higher education: IT centers are now in operation in Kabul, Herat, Jala-labad, Mazar-i-Sharif, and Qandahar. An IT Department at the Ministry of HigherEducation has been established and supervises the ongoing implementation of anational IT strategy. At Herat University, a Computer Science Faculty was estab-lished in 2004. 48 successful graduates have so far completed a special Masterprogram in Berlin. Passing their knowledge on at their home universities, each ofthem is estimated to reach an average of about 100 students per semester, thuscreating a total annual output of almost 10,000 transfers of knowledge.

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All these and many more activities were funded by DAAD in the context of a spe-cial program of the German Foreign Office – this documentation tells their story.It is a story of enthusiasm and perseverance, of people and intercultural ex-change. Lastly, though it is not yet finished, it is also a story which shows thatthings can be done. I am grateful for this experience, and I hope that it may serveas a model for future achievements in other fields.

Dr. Dorothea RülandSecretary GeneralGerman Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

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Preface

There has been substantial public interest in Af-ghanistan for more than twelve years now, andthere are many activities taking place to supportthe development of the country. However, thepublic perception of Afghanistan is strongly influ-enced by negative images. Very few people knowabout this country and its very inquisitive and com-mitted youth who e.g. actively support the estab-lishment of faculties and departments at their uni-versities.

The German-Afghan partnership already dates back to the 1920s. In the early six -ties, the universities of Bonn, Cologne and Bochum joined this partnership. Afterthe Bonn Agreement in 2001, the Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) fol-lowed. Since then, teams from the Center for international and interculturalCommunication (ZiiK) of the TU Berlin headed by Dr. Nazir Peroz have been in-volved in the establishment of academic structures in the field of IT and com-puter science. These teams have identified the Afghan youth's thirst for know-ledge as essential resource for the reconstruction and development of the coun-try. In this regard, IT and computer science play a central role. All in all, the TUBerlin can draw a largely positive balance from its efforts in Afghanistan. With itsmore than twelve years of engagement, the ZiiK of the TU Berlin has broughtcrucial changes to the country by helping it modernize its academic structuresand promote its economic development. The primary goal of this engagementhas been and still is to support Afghanistan in building up stable and self-sup-porting academic structures in the field of IT and computer science.

The following report illustrates the successes the TU Berlin has achieved so farand gives an insight into the multifaceted cooperation with the Afghan universitypartners in the fields of IT infrastructure, IT education and modernization of theadministration.

Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich HeißVice President for Academics and TeachingTU Berlin

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Acknowledgment

All of our projects which were implemented inAfghanistan within the scope of the IT strategyplan call for a high degree of conception, manage-ment, coordination, good communication with allpartners, consideration of the cultural environ-ment, and financing. In order to develop and im-plement these projects, the work of a whole teamhas been required. Without financial funding, theycould have never been successful. For this, I wouldlike to give my thanks to the German Federal For-eign Office, especially Ms. Cornelia Pieper, formerMinister of State at the German Federal ForeignOffice, Dr. Philipp Ackermann, former Head of TaskForce Afghanistan-Pakistan and Deputy Special Representative of the GermanFederal Government for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Dr. Hans-Ulrich Seidt, formerHead of the Department for Culture and Communication, Ms. Irmgard Fellner,Counselor for Multilateral Relations in the Task Force Afghanistan-Pakistan, andMr. Gregory Bledjian from the Task Force Afghanistan-Pakistan.

This funding has been promoted by the DAAD. At this point, I would like to thankDr. Dorothea Rüland, General Secretary, Dr. Christian Hülshörster, Head of Divi-sion North Africa, Middle East and Gulf Region, Mr. Lars Gerold, Head of SectionAfghanistan, Pakistan and Transregional Programmes Good Governance, and Dr.Alexander Kupfer from the same section. Some of these projects were financedby the World Bank as well. My thanks at this point also go to the World Bank, es-pecially to Mr. Abdul Hai Sofizada, former Head of the Strengthening Higher Edu-cation Program (SHEP) at the MoHE in Afghanistan.

To make a project succeed, it is of great importance to include the respectivepartners from the very beginning, to analyze the situation and to take into ac-count the cultural circumstances. Our projects would not have been that suc-cessful without the critical review of our Afghan partners. At this point, I wouldlike to particularly thank all ministers for higher education in Afghanistan and allpresidents of the Afghan universities for their invaluable support. I would like tomake special mention of the following persons:

• Dr. Sharif Fayez, Minister for Higher Education in Afghanistan from 2002 until 2004

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• Prof. Akbar Popal (d), President of Kabul University from 2002 until 2004

• Prof. Rauf Mukhles, President of Herat University from 2002 until 2005• Prof. Habibullah Habib, President of Balkh University from 2002 until

2007, today President of Kabul University• Prof. Ameer Shah Hasanyar (d), Minister for Higher Education in

Afghanistan from 2005 until 2007• Dr. Ashraf Ghani, President of Kabul University from 2005 until 2007,

today President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan• Dr. Mohammad Naim Assad, President of Herat University from 2005

until 2009• Dr. Azam Dadfar, Minister for Higher Education in Afghanistan from

2008 until 2010• Dr. Mohammad Saber, President of Nangarhar University from 2008

until 2014• Prof. Hazrat Mir Totakhil, President of Qandahar University from 2008

until today• Prof. Mir Osman Barez Hosseini, President of Herat University from

2009 until 2013• Mr. Sarwar Danish, Minister for Higher Education in Afghanistan from

2010 until 2012• Prof. Mokamel Alokozai, President of Balkh University from 2010 until

today• Prof. Ezatullah Amed, President of Kabul Polytechnic University from

2010 until today• Prof. Amanullah Hamidzai, President of Kabul Education University from

2010 until today• Prof. Obaidullah Obaid, Minister for Higher Education in Afghanistan

from 2012 until 2014• Dr. Abdul Zaher Mohtasebzadah, President of Herat University from

2013 until today• Dr. Mohammad Taher Enayat, President of Nangarhar University

since 2014

I would also like to thank all further presidents from the Afghan universities, deans of computer science faculties and the Master's graduates from TU Berlin.

All above mentioned persons deserve my heartfelt thanks. A special thanks goes to Prof. M. Osman Babury, Deputy Minister for Higher Education in Afghanistan, who has enriched our projects with his feedback and proposals.

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I would also like to give my thanks to the German Embassy in Kabul and theAfghan Embassy in Berlin for their good cooperation. At this point, my personalthanks again go to Dr. Hans-Ulrich Seidt, Mr. Rüdiger König and Mr. Martin Jäger,former German Ambassadors in Kabul, Mr. Markus Potzel, German Ambassadorin Kabul, Dr. Oliver Owcza and Mr. Erik Kurzweil, representatives of the GermanEmbassy in Kabul, Mr. Marcel Consten and Ms. Sandra Maria Wassong from theGerman Embassy in Kabul as well as Mr. Michael Lauber, Counsellor for CulturalAffairs at the German Embassy in Kabul. Furthermore, my thanks go to Mr.Hamid Sidig, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Berlin. I wouldlike to make particular note of Mr. Abed Nadjib, Former Minister Counsellor ofthe Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Berlin. He has made a con-siderable contribution to the implementation of all our projects in Germany andAfghanistan.

For a successful coordination and management, further premises at the TU Ber-lin were necessary. Without these, it would have been impossible to realize theprojects on site in Afghanistan. For this, I would like to thank the management ofTU Berlin and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, espe-cially Prof. Hans-Ulrich Heiß, Prof. Bernd Mahr, Prof. Uwe Nestmann and Prof.Stefan Jähnichen.

I would like to express my special thanks to my wife and children who havestrongly supported me during the last thirteen years of my work in Afghanistan.

The conception and implementation of all projects is due to the invaluable workand dedication of all team members of the ZiiK of the TU Berlin. Without theirtireless commitment and cordiality, the concepts could have never been put intopractice.

The journey to Afghanistan continues. The following report maybe will inspireyou to join us for a while.

Nazir Peroz

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1. Introduction

After the Bonn Agreement in November 2001, the German Federal Foreign Officemade available funds for the construction and reconstruction of the higher edu-cation system in Afghanistan. These funds came from the Stability Pact for Afgh-anistan. In order to analyze the existing academic structures in Afghanistan andpropose measures for their enhancement and further development, the GermanFederal Foreign Office and the DAAD sent a delegation to Kabul in March 2002.Besides representatives from the German Federal Foreign Office, the DAAD andthe universities of Bonn and Freiburg, Dr. Peroz, Head of the ZiiK, representedthe TU Berlin and participated in the journey.

Engagement of the TU Berlin

Within the scope of a dialog week, the TU Berlin dealt with the topic of "Moderneducation as most essential part of the reconstruction process in Afghanistan"already in December 2001. As a result of this event, the participants agreed to in-vite a representative of the MoHE in Afghanistan to Berlin. The intended goal oftheir visit was to discuss a sustainable and secure IT supply system as centralbasis for modern universities in Afghanistan. With support from the Heinrich BöllFoundation, the TU Berlin invited Prof. Akbar Popal, former President of KabulUniversity, to the symposium "Digital Media – An Opportunity for Education inAfghanistan?" which took place in February 2002.

Development of an IT Strategy Plan

Based on the results of the dialog week in December 2001, the symposium inFebruary 2002, the DAAD's delegation trip to Kabul in March 2002 and the trip ofseven computer scientists from TU Berlin in August 2002, the team of the ZiiKdeveloped an IT strategy plan that aims to build a secure IT supply system forAfghan universities. By providing technical and organizational assistance for theMoHE and the Afghan universities in Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar and Qanda-har, it helps to strengthen the newly developed academic structures. The follow-ing measures are part of the IT strategy plan:

• establishing stable power supply• providing secure access to the Internet• installation of building technology for the use of IT• interconnection of university buildings on the campuses• interconnection of all Afghan universities (university network)

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• purchase and installation of workstations at the faculties• construction of IT centers at the bigger universities• basic and advanced IT trainings for university members on site and

within the scope of summer and winter academies at TU Berlin• training of IT technicians and administrators on site and within the

scope of summer and winter academies at TU Berlin• foundation of computer science faculties at particular universities• academic education for Bachelor's, Master's and PhD students• development of a standard computer science curriculum• setting up of computer science libraries• exchange programs for students and lecturers• awarding of scholarships

Summary

All in all, a positive balance can be drawn of most projects. Though not every in -tended goal has been reached yet – there is still a lack of stable power supply, In-ternet access, IT security and IT experts – the ZiiK of the TU Berlin and its part-ners have achieved many milestones that were set out in the IT strategy plan.This plan is based on the main topics of IT education, IT infrastructure, moderniz-ation of administrative structures and IT security.

Today, Kabul, Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar and Qandahar University are equippedeach with a modern IT center. Computer science libraries have been establishedat the respective faculties at each Kabul University, Herat University and BalkhUniversity. More than 4,000 university members received IT basics trainings.Nine computer science faculties were founded. The Bachelor's education at thefaculties for computer science is widely based on modern curricula. More than2,000 students are currently enrolled in computer science. The proportion of wo-men at the respective faculties is around 25 percent. The team of the ZiiK of theTU Berlin has trained more than 500 Bachelor's students in Herat and Balkh. ITtrainings and expert services have been offered to the MoHE in Afghanistan andto the Afghan universities. More than nineteen workshops, symposia and confer-ences were planned and realized. The team of the ZiiK of the TU Berlin hasprovided the MoHE and the Afghan universities with advisory support. They havepromoted Open Source solutions as well as scalable and sustainable networkconcepts from the very beginning. Websites for the MoHE and the Afghan uni-versities have been created, online libraries established and online platforms de-veloped for administrative matters, e.g. for the university entrance exams.

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A computer science Master's program for Afghan lecturers has been developedwith support from the World Bank and special funds from the German FederalForeign Office. This program does not only include academic education in thefield of computer science, it also provides soft skills, e.g. didactics, scientificworking, organization or management in order to prepare the participants fortheir future work and responsibilities back at their home universities.

All measures are implemented in such a way that they complement each otherand help realize the IT strategy plan to build a reliable, sustainable and secure ITsupply system.

This report gives an overview over all IT projects that have been conducted bythe ZiiK of the TU Berlin in the past thirteen years since 2001. The chapters 2-6document the creation of academic structures in the fields of IT education, IT in-frastructure and modernization of administrative structures in the provinces ofKabul, Herat, Balkh, Nangarhar and Qandahar.

Chapters 7-11 present special education and training programs for participantsfrom all over Afghanistan. Chapter 12 presents the various conferences, work-shops and symposia the ZiiK organized in the past in Afghanistan and in Ger-many. Chapter 13 documents the activities of modernizing the management andadministration in Afghanistan, and chapter 14 lists the concepts which have beendeveloped at the ZiiK and are the foundation of all activities. The appendix showsselected photographs from particular projects.

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2. Kabul

Kabul City is the capital ofAfghanistan and of KabulProvince. It is the largestcity of the country withapprox. 3,5 million inhab-itants and the economic,cultural and academiccenter of Afghanistan.

Kabul is over 3,500 yearsold. Many empires havelong fought over thevalley for its strategic location along the trade routes of South and Central Asia.During the last civil war, 80% of the city have been destroyed.

This chapter presents the activities of the ZiiK of the TU Berlin in Kabul since2002 with the MoHE, Kabul University, Kabul Polytechnic University and KabulEducation University. The first visible project here was the establishment of an ITcenter for Kabul University. This was to build the foundation of the IT supply sys-tem at the university and the whole university network throughout Afghanistan.

At this time, Afghanistan has been excluded from the global information society.With this project the ZiiK established a modern IT center on the campus of KabulUniversity in the middle of the destroyed city within only four months. Thiswould not have been possible without the help of the German Bundeswehr, whoorganized the shipment of the hardware to Kabul, the Technisches Hilfswerk(THW, Federal Agency for Technical Relief) who renovated the premises and in-stalled network and power cabling in cooperation with the ZiiK team, and thesupport of the MoHE and Kabul University.

All activities are targeted at building up the three pillars of IT education, IT infra-structure and IT management according to the IT strategy of the ZiiK.

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Establishment and Operation of an IT Center at Kabul University

Timeframe: Since December 2002Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 90 PCs, 2 servers, network equipmentpower generators and voltage regulatorsapprox. 2,500 people trained so fara national IT education center in Afghanistan since 2012

The IT Center Kabul (ITCK) was built at Kabul University as a foundation for amodern IT supply on the campus. It was designed and developed to providecentral IT services for the university and included PC workspaces, network ser-vices and also trainings in IT and giving advice during IT-related projects. Thetechnical concept was based on Open Source software. The ITCK was opened inMarch 2003.1

In May 2003, a team of the ZiiK started to train the ITCK staff at Kabul University.In 2006, the operation of the ITCK was handed over to the Afghan personnel. TheZiiK has continued to provide professional support via online communication andon location.

Internet connectivity was initially provided by a local provide. Since 2005, NATOhas offered this service via satellite connection.

Today, the ITCK also provides Internet access to the university administration, thefaculties and the whole campus. Moreover, it serves as IT competence center ofthe university and as national IT training center. It disseminates IT related know-ledge and experience to further Afghan universities and other representativesfrom public institutions across the country.

1 For more information about the establishment of the ITCK, see: "Establishing IT Structures atKabul University", N. Peroz 2008, IKO-Verlag

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Establishment of a Computer Science Library at Kabul University

Timeframe: September 2004 – February 2005Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 860 modern international standard books in the area ofcomputer science

Before this project was implemented, the Afghan universities did not have librar-ies for computer science. In order to establish the first one at Kabul University,modern international standard books were purchased in Berlin and shipped toKabul. Existing premises have been furnished with appropriate shelves andtables. All books have been cataloged with the help of Afghan students, and alending system was installed.

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Foundation and Support of an IT Department at the MoHE

Timeframe: Since November 2004Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: MoHEFacts and figures: Annual IT conferences, development of a strategy plan,education for IT advisors from the Afghan universities

The IT Department of the MoHE has been established to coordinate and super-vise national and international IT projects in the area of higher education in Af-ghanistan. Its main task is to advise all Afghan universities and support them dur-ing the procurement of IT equipment, define curricula for different audiencesand modernize the universities' administration.

The IT Department consists of three sections: IT infrastructure, IT education andIT management. The team of the ZiiK has been actively supporting all three sec-tions of the MoHE since they have been founded.

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Establishment of a PC Lab for the German Department at Kabul University

Timeframe: November 2004 – February 2005Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 20 PCs, network equipment, software

At the request of Kabul University, a PC lab has been established at its GermanDepartment. It is to provide students and employees with PC workspaces and In-ternet access. Specialized software for learning German was procured and in-stalled. The implementation was supported by Afghan team members from theITCK.

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Training for all IT Advisors from Afghan Universities

Timeframe: January – February 2007Venue: KabulFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 20 people trained

In timely connection to the annual IT conference in Afghanistan, educational pro-grams for all MoHE affiliates and the IT advisors from all Afghan universities wereperformed at the MoHE. Particular IT needs and requirements were consideredand specialized programs of further training were offered accordingly.

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Establishment of a PC Workshop at Kabul University

Date: October 2007Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: More than 600 PCs, printers and other hardware repaired so far

A lot of old, retired or faulty computer hardware constantly piles up at Afghanuniversities without any further use. For this reason, a central PC workshop hasbeen established at Kabul University with the aim to teach the staff how to repairthis hardware, how to equip old computers with new components and how torestore them for further usage.

As a positive side effect, old computers parts can be recycled environmental-friendly, electronic waste can be reduced and re-usable components can bestored for future usage. The workshop staff gains further insight in all compon-ents of computer technology and their range of functions.

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IT Networking of all Facilities at Kabul University

Timeframe: March 2008 – February 2009Funded by: DAADFacts and figures: Establishment of a campus-wide computer network

The goal of this project was to interconnect all facilities of Kabul University in-cluding faculties and administration offices. The installation of the fiber opticnetwork cabling on campus below ground was done beforehand by NATO. Allpremises were equipped with modern network infrastructure by the ZiiK.

Establishment of an IT Training Center at the MoHE

Date: January 2009Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: MoHEFacts and figures: 35 PCs and server hardware, supplementary equipment,more than 200 people trained

The objective of this project was to offer special IT training programs to affiliatesfrom the MoHE in Afghanistan and staff members from Afghan universities, e.g.heads of IT, IT advisors and others. This measure aimed to modernize both theadministrative structures at the MoHE and the overall management capacities inthe academic field. The IT training center provides measures to conduct videoconferences.

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Establishment of a PC Lab for the Faculty of Economics at Kabul University

Date: December 2010Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 50 PCs, supplementary equipment

A modern PC lab with 50 PCs has been established for the Faculty of Economicsat Kabul University. The shipment from TU Berlin also included server hardware,UPSs, projectors, a printer and spare parts. Support was provided by the team ofthe ITCK.

Establishment of a PC Lab and Extension of the Library at the Faculty of Computer Science at Kabul University

Date: December 2010Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 60 PCs, server hardware, supplementary equipmentmodern international standard books

The hardware including PCs, servers, UPSs, projectors and a number of spareparts was purchased in Berlin and shipped to Kabul. Necessary furniture was pur-chased on site, and an air conditioning system has been installed to protect thenew equipment from heat and dust.

Within the scope of the relocation of the Computer Science Faculty to a differentbuilding, its library has been extended with further books.

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IT Administrator Training for MoHE Staff Members

Timeframe: June – November 2009Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 3 people trained

A group of three employees from the MoHE was trained at TU Berlin for sixmonths. The training focused on system and network administration of Linux-based environments. The objective was to prepare the participants for their fu-ture tasks as IT administrators at the MoHE, including the operation, mainten-ance and extension of the IT infrastructures.

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3. Herat

Herat is the third largest city ofAfghanistan and the capital ofHerat province. It has a popula-tion of about 440,000 and islinked with Qandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif via the ring road thatstretches across the country. It isfurther linked to the city of Mash-had in Iran through the bordertown of Islam Qala.

The city has a number of historic sites, including the Herat Citadel and the Mos-allah Complex. Much of the city has been spared from destructions that occurredin other cities of Afghanistan during the wars since 1978.

With more than 10,000 enrolled students at Herat University, Herat is one of themajor centers of higher education in Afghanistan.

In April 2004, Dr. Peroz traveled to Herat on behalf of the DAAD for the first timeand got in touch with the administration of Herat University. In August 2004,teams from the ZiiK and the ITCK traveled to Herat to analyze the IT situation. Onrequest of the MoHE in Kabul, the TU Berlin sent a team to Herat University inNovember 2004 to provide trainings and education in computer science. Therehad been no computer science education previously at the university.

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Analysis of the IT Situation at Herat University

Date: August 2004Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Herat University, Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: Talks with 9 faculties and the administration of Herat University

A team of the ZiiK and members of the ITCK traveled to Herat to evaluate thegeneral IT situation at Herat University. Particular faculties were visited and thesituation regarding PC facilities, Internet access, staff, administration etc. wasanalyzed.

On the foundation of these results, a concept has been developed for future pro-jects in Herat.

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Establishment of a PC Lab for the Faculty of Computer Science at Herat University

Timeframe: November 2004 – June 2005Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Herat UniversityFacts and figures: 40 PCs, servers, network equipment, power generator and voltage regulators

Within the scope of the support program for computer science education at Her-at University, a modern PC lab has been created. Moreover, a faculty networkhas been established to provide Internet access and network services for all fac-ulty members.

The necessary hardware was purchased in Germany, preconfigured at TU Berlinand then shipped to Herat. Afterwards, the ZiiK team set up the hardware at theCS Faculty in Herat. Since that time, the infrastructure can be used by both stu -dents and lecturers for their day-to-day tasks at the faculty.

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Education of Computer Science Bachelor's Students atHerat University

Timeframe: November 2004 – March 2010Funded by: DAAD, World BankIn cooperation with: Herat UniversityFacts and figures: 450 students trainedestablishment of a computer science facultydevelopment of a computer science curriculum

The team from ZiiK held lectures, seminars and tutorials for Bachelor's students.These were performed according to a curriculum which had been developed atTU Berlin for the particular situation and needs in Afghanistan. The team's activ-ities also included support of the management and administration. Eventually, acomputer science faculty was founded at Herat University in 2005.2

Subsequent teams were sent from TU Berlin to Herat in the following semestersuntil summer semester 2010. After the graduates of the first computer scienceMaster's program at TU Berlin returned to Afghanistan in 2010, the Faculty ofComputer Science was able to take over the education of the Bachelor's studentswith its own staff.

2 For more information, see "Establishing Academic Structures in Computer Science at Herat Uni-versity", Mahr, Peroz et al., 2006, IKO Verlag

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Establishment of a Computer Science Library at Herat University

Date: May 2005Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Herat UniversityFacts and figures: 860 modern international standard books in the area of com-puter science

With the aim of improving the academic situation in the area of computer sci-ence at Herat University, a computer science library has been established. Mod-ern international standard books on computer science were purchased in Berlinand shipped to Herat. Already existing premises have been furnished with appro-priate shelves and tables. All books have been cataloged with the help of Afghanstudents, and a lending system has been implemented.

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Establishment of an IT Center at Herat University (ITCH)

Timeframe: November 2007 – January 2010Funded by: World BankIn cooperation with: Herat UniversityFacts and figures: 160 PCs, 4 servers, network equipment and voltage regulators

Based on the example of the IT Center in Kabul (ITCK), a modern IT center hasbeen established at Herat University (ITCH). This IT center is the core of the ITsupply at the university. It provides PC labs for university members, Internet ac-cess for all faculties and central network services for the whole campus. It alsogives advice in all IT related issues of the university. The team of the ZiiK acquiredand configured the hardware in Berlin and shipped it to Herat. During the setupphase at TU Berlin, a group of Afghan lecturers was trained on the equipment inorder to be able to administrate and maintain the operation of the ITCH on theirown in the future. The ITCH was opened in June 2010.

As a competence center, the ITCH provides teaching and education in the field ofIT for all university members, the university administration and students. It isplanned to expand the ITCH in the near future, so it can become a regionaltraining center also for neighbor provinces of Herat.

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Establishment of a PC Workshop at Herat University

Date: October 2011Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Herat UniversityFacts and figures: over 120 PCs, printers and other hardware repaired

Based on the example of Kabul University, a central PC workshop has been estab-lished at Herat University. The aim was to teach the Afghan personnel how to re-pair and refurbish retired or faulty PC hardware, to equip old computers withnew components and to restore them for further usage.

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4. Balkh

In the province of Balkh liesMazar-e-Sharif, with a popula-tion of approx. 375,000 thefourth-largest city in Afghanis-tan. It is linked by highwayswith Kunduz in the east, Kabulin the southeast, Herat in thewest and Uzbekistan in thenorth.

Mazar-e-Sharif, along with He-rat, Jalalabad in the east and Qandahar in the south, makes Afghanistan an im-portant strategic location in Asia. The city also serves as one of the many touristattractions because of its famous shrines as well as the Muslim and Hellenisticarchaeological sites.

In 2005, a team of the ZiiK traveled to Mazar-e-Sharif to analyze the IT situationat the universities, to begin with the establishment of an IT Center at Balkh Uni-versity and to begin with the development of an IT curriculum.

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IT Administrator Training for Lecturers from Balkh University

Timeframe: June – November 2009Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 7 people trained

A group of seven lecturers and employees from Balkh University was trained atTU Berlin for six months. The training focused on system and network adminis-tration of Linux-based environments. The objective was to prepare the parti-cipants for their future tasks as IT administrators at their home institutions, in-cluding the operation, maintenance and extension of the IT infrastructures.

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Establishment of a PC Lab at Balkh University

Timeframe: November – December 2009Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Balkh UniversityFacts and figures: 25 PCs, servers, network and supplementary equipment

After the IT administrator training for seven lecturers from Balkh University, acentral PC lab for all university members has been established at Balkh Uni-versity. With this lab, the trained lecturers were to apply their knowledge to ex -tend the IT infrastructure at their university. It provides the opportunity to usePC workplaces with Internet access for lecturers and students alike. It includes acentral server system which offers basic network services like user authentica-tion, data storage, backup and Internet access.

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Establishment of an IT Center at Balkh University (ITCB)

Timeframe: November 2010 – February 2013Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Balkh University, Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 60 PCs, 6 servers, network and supplementary equipment; voltage regulator obtained in Mazar-e-Sharif

Based on the examples of the ITCK and the ITCH, a modern IT center has beenestablished at Balkh University (ITCB). This IT center consists of 60 PC work-stations, three servers, network equipment, UPSs etc. and is the core of the ITsupply of the university. It provides PC labs for university members, Internet ac-cess to all faculties and central network services for the whole campus. It is alsosupposed to give advice in all IT related issues of the university. Moreover, theITCB as competence center provides teaching and education in the field of IT forall university members, the university administration and students. It is plannedto expand the ITCB in the near future, so it can become a regional training centeralso for neighbor provinces of Balkh.

The team of the ZiiK acquired and configured the hardware in Berlin and shippedit to Mazar-e-Sharif. During the setup phase at TU Berlin, a group of Afghan lec-turers was trained on the equipment in order to be able to administrate andmaintain the operation of the ITCB on their own in the future.

Team members from the ITCK were involved in the setting up of the ITCB andprovided support and guidance.

The new IT Center of Balkh University was officially inaugurated by representat-ives of the MoHE, Balkh University, the DAAD and the ZiiK of the TU Berlin in May2013.

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IT Administrator Training for Staff Members from theUniversities of Balkh and Nangarhar

Timeframe: November – December 2011Venue: Balkh UniversityFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 12 people trained

Employees from the Universities of Balkh and Nangarhar were trained in the fieldof system and network administration by the ZiiK team with support from ITCKemployees. The training, which took place at Balkh University, was to preparethem for their future tasks as IT administrators of the IT Centers (ITCB, ITCN) attheir universities.

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Establishment of a PC Workshop at Balkh University

Date: October 2013Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Balkh UniversityFacts and figures: More than 30 PCs, printers and other hardware repaired

Based on the example of Kabul University and Herat University, a central PCworkshop has been established at Balkh University. The aim was to teach theAfghan personnel how to repair and refurbish retired or faulty PC hardware,equip old computers with new components and restore them for further usage.

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5. Nangarhar

Nangarhar is a province ineastern Afghanistan. Loc-ated at the junction of theKabul River and Kunar Rivernear the Laghman valley,Jalalabad is the capital ofthis province. It is linked viahighway with Kabul to thewest.

Jalalabad is the second-lar-gest city in eastern Afghanis-tan as well as the center of its social and business activity because of its borderto Pakistan which is the main source of products to all Afghanistan. Major indus-tries include paper-making, as well as agricultural products including oranges,rice and sugarcane. Jalalabad is one of the leading trading centers with neighbor-ing Pakistan.

In 2010, a team of the ZiiK and members of the ITCK and ITCH traveled toJalalabad to analyze the IT situation at the universities and to begin with the es -tablishment of an IT Center at Nangarhar University as well as the developmentof an IT curriculum.

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Establishment of an IT Center at Nangarhar University (ITCN)

Timeframe: September 2010 – December 2011Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Nangarhar University, Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 90 PCs, 3 servers, network and supplementary equipment, voltage regulator

Based on the examples of the ITCK in Kabul and the ITCH in Herat, a modern ITcenter has been established at Nangarhar University (ITCN). This IT center con-sists of 90 PC workstations, three servers, network equipment, UPSs etc. and isthe core of the IT supply of the university. It provides PC labs for university mem -bers, Internet access for all faculties and central network services for the wholecampus. It also gives advice in all IT related issues of the university. Moreover,the ITCN as competence center provides teaching and education in the field of ITfor all university members, the university administration and students. It isplanned to expand the ITCN in the near future, so it can become a regional train-ing center also for neighbor provinces of Nangarhar.

The team of the ZiiK acquired and configured the hardware in Berlin and shippedit to Jalalabad. During the setup phase at TU Berlin, a group of Afghan lecturerswas trained on the equipment in order to be able to administrate and maintainthe operation of the ITCN on their own in the future.

Team members from the ITCK were involved in the setting up of the ITCN andprovided support and guidance.

The new IT Center of Nangarhar University was officially inaugurated by repres-entatives of the MoHE, Nangarhar University and the ZiiK of the TU Berlin inDecember 2011.

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6. Qandahar

Qandahar is the secondlargest city in Afghanistan,with a population of ap-prox. 491,500. It is the cap-ital of Qandahar Provinceand located in the south ofthe country. The Arghan-dab River runs along thewest of the city.

Qandahar is a major trad-ing center for sheep, wool,cotton, silk, felt, food grains, fresh and dried fruit and tobacco. It has an interna-tional airport and extensive road links with Lashkar Gah and Herat to the west,Ghazni and Kabul to the northeast, Tarinkot to the north, and Quetta in neigh-boring Balochistan to the south. The region around Qandahar is one of the oldestknown human settlements.

In 2012, a team of the ZiiK and members of the ITCK, ITCH and ITCN traveled toQandahar to analyze the IT situation at the universities and to begin with the es-tablishment of an IT center at Qandahar University as well as the development ofan IT curriculum.

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Establishment of an IT Center at Qandahar University (ITCQ)

Timeframe: November 2012 – December 2013Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Qandahar University, Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 75 PCs, 4 servers, network and supplementary equipment, voltage regulator

Based on the examples of the ITCK in Kabul, the ITCH in Herat, the ITCN inJalalabad and the ITCB in Mazar-e-Sharif, a modern IT center has been estab-lished at Qandahar University (ITCQ). This IT center consists of 75 PC worksta-tions, four servers, network equipment, UPSs etc. and is the core of the IT supplyof the university. It provides PC labs for university members, Internet access to allfaculties and central network services for the whole campus. It is also supposedto give advice in all IT related issues of the university. Moreover, the ITCQ ascompetence center provides teaching and education in the field of IT for all uni-versity members, the university administration and students. It is planned to ex-pand the ITCQ in the near future, so it can become a regional training center alsofor neighbor provinces of Qandahar.

The team of the ZiiK acquired and configured the hardware in Berlin and shippedit to Qandahar. During the setup phase at TU Berlin, a group of Afghan lecturerswas trained on the equipment in order to be able to administrate and maintainthe operation of the ITCQ on their own in the future.

Team members from the ITCK were involved in the setting up of the ITCQ andprovided support and guidance.

The new IT Center of Qandahar University was officially inaugurated by a repres-entative of H.E. President Karzai, representatives of the MoHE, the Governor ofQandahar Province, representatives from Qandahar University and the ZiiK ofthe TU Berlin in February 2014.

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7. Summer and Winter Academies

Timeframe: 2002 – 2009Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 105 people educated

During numerous summer and winter academies in Germany, students, lecturersand staff members from Afghan universities and affiliates from the MoHE re-ceived basic trainings in computer science, system and network administration,IT security, organization and management etc. at TU Berlin. Another aim was tofoster intercultural exchange and to create opportunities to experience and lookinto the cultural environment of Germany.

The duration of these summer and winter academies ranged from one to sevenmonths.

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8. Computer Science Master's Program for Afghan Lecturers

Master's Program for Afghan Lecturers in Computer Science at TU Berlin, Generations 1 – 3

Timeframe: 2007 – 2016Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: World Bank, German Federal Foreign Office, DAADIn cooperation with: MoHE, Afghan UniversitiesFacts and figures: 48 people graduated, 25 currently studying, participants from 9 Afghan universities

A special computer science Master's program for Afghan lecturers has been es-tablished at TU Berlin. The objective of this program is to counter the lack of ITlecturers and IT experts at the Afghan universities and public institutions by edu-cating and training future multipliers. Currently, the third generation of the pro-gram is studying at TU Berlin. The participants are selected upon nomination bytheir home universities during a selection process. This process is realized byteam members of the ZiiK of the TU Berlin in cooperation with the MoHE and in-cludes different exams in computer science, mathematics and English languageas well as a personal interview.

The Master's program is divided into two parts: The two first semesters of theprogram are designed as preparatory courses for all participants. These are fol-lowed by four semesters of actual Master's studies. Both the preparatory courseas well as the first and the second semester of the Master's studies take place atTU Berlin. During the third semester, the participants hold lectures at their homeuniversities and do field research in Afghanistan to prepare their Master's thesiswhich they are supposed to write in the fourth semester back at TU Berlin. Thetopics are to be chosen according to the particular needs in the area of IT inAfghanistan.

Part of the project is a cultural program for the participants to facilitate culturalexchange and to learn about life in Germany and the history of the country.

So far, there have been participants from Kabul University, Kabul PolytechnicUniversity, Kabul Education University and the Universities of Herat, Nangarhar,Qandahar, Balkh, Khost and Kunar.

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The first generation of this Master's program graduated from TU Berlin in 2010and the second generation in 2013. Currently, the third generation is studying atTU Berlin and is going to graduate in 2016.

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Graduation Event of the Computer Science Master's Program,1st Generation

Date: March 2010Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: MoHE, World BankFacts and figures: 24 people graduated

To this event, representatives from the MoHE, the Afghan universities as well asthe deans of the computer science faculties at Kabul Polytechnic University andHerat University were invited. The participants of the program presented theirMaster's theses.

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Graduation Event of the Computer Science Master's Program,2nd Generation

Date: September 2013Venue: German Federal Foreign Office, TU BerlinFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: MoHE, German Federal Foreign OfficeFacts and figures: 22 people graduated

The event started with an opening ceremony at the German Federal Foreign Of-fice which was followed by a two-day series of lectures at TU Berlin. Within thisscope, the Afghan students presented their Master's theses to the invited guests.On the last day, a panel discussion took place about Afghanistan's IT strategyplan in the area of higher education and the future German-Afghan cooperation.Among the guests were high representatives from the German Federal ForeignOffice, DAAD, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education in Kabul, the President ofKabul Polytechnic University, representatives from the Afghan Embassy in Berlin,German National Research and Education Network (DFN), TU Berlin and others.

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Support Program for Implementing Master's Theses in the Field of Computer Science

Timeframe: September – December 2010 (1st generation)September – December 2013 (2nd generation)Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: German Federal Foreign Office, MoHEFacts and figures: 40 projects supported

The participants of the first and second computer science Master's program forAfghan lecturers, who graduated in March 2010 and September 2013 from TUBerlin, were supported financially in order to implement their Master's thesistopics in Afghanistan. With this support program, they were given the chance tofurther develop and ultimately realize their thesis concepts, and thus to help im-prove and extend the IT structures in Afghanistan.

The topics addressed included the development of IT strategies as well as in-formation and accounting systems for the administration, planning of IT centers,online library systems, dormitory and hospital management systems, campusnetwork planning, quality assurance and accreditation concepts, a scholarshipdatabase system etc.

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9. PhD Program for Afghan Computer Science Lecturers

Timeframe: October 2013 – December 2017Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 4 people supported

Two Master's graduates, who are employees of Kabul University, have been in-vited as PhD candidates in computer science to TU Berlin and offered a scholar-ship by the DAAD. After their graduation and return to Afghanistan, both PhDswill begin with the development of Master's study courses at the Afghan uni-versities.

Two more candidates from Herat University, who participated in the computerscience Master's program, returned to TU Berlin in October 2014 in order to pre-pare their PhD studies.

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10. Alumni Program for Graduates of the Computer Science Master's Program for Afghan Lecturers

Alumni Program for Afghan Master's Graduates 2012

Timeframe: August – September 2012Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 18 people supported

The ZiiK invited one employee from the IT Center at Herat University and 16graduates from the first generation of the computer science Master's programfor Afghan lecturers to Berlin for a two-week alumni program. The group was ledby Mr. Azim Noorbakhsh, Head of the Press Office at the MoHE. The objectives ofthe program were:

• exchange of experiences between graduates of the first and participantsof the second generation of the computer science Master's program at TU Berlin

• building up a network of computer scientists• discussing the role of "IT society" in Afghanistan and activating the IT

Board at the MoHE• discussing future tasks of computer science Master's graduates in

Afghanistan

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Alumni Program for Afghan Master's Graduates 2014

Timeframe: August – September 2014Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 12 people supported

The ZiiK invited 10 graduates from the first generation of the computer scienceMaster's program for Afghan lecturers to Berlin for a three-week alumni pro-gram. In addition, Mr. Azim Noorbakhsh, Head of the Press Office at the MoHE,and Mr. Jawed Rasuli, Head of the IT Department of the MoHE, joined the groupas team leaders. The objectives of the program were:

• scientific exchange and presentations of the participants• exchange of experiences with the current generation of computer

science Master's students from Afghanistan• exchange of experiences with the current participants of the IT

administrator training at TU Berlin• creating a network of computer scientists• conception of an online platform for alumni in the area of computer

science• discussing the future development of IT and computer science in

Afghanistan• visiting the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Berlin

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11. IT Administrator Training

Timeframe: July – December 2014Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: MoHE, Afghan UniversitiesFacts and figures: 18 people supported

From July to December 2014, a group of 18 employees from the five IT centersset up by the ZiiK (ITCK, ITCH, ITCB, ITCN and ITCQ) and the MoHE has been in-vited to TU Berlin for an IT administrator training program. The goal of this pro -gram is to educate university employees in order to enable them to independ-ently operate, maintain and expand the IT infrastructure at their home institu-tions.

The training focuses on systems and network administration under a particularLinux-based system (Univention Corporate Server, UCS) which is to be rolled outat all of the five IT Centers to replace the existing installations. Such a unified sys -tem setup and a comprehensive education of the administrators will allow con-sistent server infrastructures at the Afghan universities and a better exchangebetween the IT centers, improved interoperability as well as better support.

Furthermore, the IT centers are currently being developed into regional IT com-petence centers. Thus, another important aspect of the training is to prepare theparticipants for their future role as IT lecturers who can provide trainings for uni-versity members and also for neighbouring provinces.

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12. Conferences, Workshops and Symposia

Cultural and Dialog Week:The World Grows Together – Public Welfare, Justice, Solidarity

Date: December 10 – 14, 2001Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: Heinrich Böll Foundation, BerlinIn cooperation with: Friedrich Ebert Foundation, BerlinWork group "Computer Science and Society" of theGesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society), BonnFacts and figures: 150 participants

Within the scope of the culture and dialog week, topics like globalization, demo-cratization processes, human rights, influences of technology on society, theAfghan wars and the media as well as the role of the Taliban were discussed. Onthe last day, the focus was laid on the topic of reconstructing the educational sys-tem in Afghanistan. All attending experts and guests agreed that education andtraining belong to the core components within the reconstruction process inAfghanistan. The discussion resulted in the following conclusions:

Afghanistan is in need of an educational concept that is elaborated in legal andpolitical terms. The impact of two decades of war on the area of education is tobe surveyed and analyzed, and all deficits to be eliminated by both ad hoc meas-ures and long-term planned projects. Both approaches shall equally include wo-men and men in Afghanistan, and the commitment of Afghans who live in exileshall be taken into account as well. The population's awareness for all problemsresulting from the low literacy rate is to be sharpened.

It was also agreed to invite a representative from the MoHE to the next confer-ence in February 2002.

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Symposium: Digital Media – An Opportunity for Education in Afghanistan?

Date: February 16 – 17, 2002Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: Heinrich Böll Foundation, BerlinIn cooperation with: Work group "Computer Science and Society" of theGesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society), BonnInternational Office of the TU BerlinWork group "Global Learning and International Cooperation" at TU BerlinFacts and figures: 100 participants

Various aspects of reconstructing the educational system in Afghanistan were ad-dressed in ten presentations and the following discussions. As a result, the parti-cipants of the symposium agreed on concrete planning schemes and the nextsteps. Prof. Akbar Popal, former President of Kabul University, attended the sym-posium as keynote speaker.

The topics of the discussions dealt with possible options regarding the educa-tional situation in Afghanistan, how to assess them and how to develop support-ing programs. The participants also talked about exchange programs for Germanand Afghan students as well as lecturers, organizing workshops in Germany andAfghanistan and specialized training programs for lecturers in cooperation withthe universities.

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Symposium: Afghanistan 2010 – Our Future, Our Vision

Date: July 12 – 17, 2002Venue: Daimler-Chrysler AG, BerlinFunded by: Daimler-Chrysler AGFacts and figures: 30 participants

The Daimler-Chrysler AG invited twenty Afghans who lived in exile to this sym-posium. The aim was to bring together young students with Afghan backgroundfrom various fields of expertise at German universities and let them present theirideas and visions concerning the reconstruction process in Afghanistan. Six workgroups were formed in the following areas: economy, information technologyand engineering, society and culture, agriculture, politics, and judiciaries.

Workshop: The State of Academic Education in Afghanistan – Accounts and Perspectives

Date: August 12, 2002Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: Konrad Adenauer Foundation, BerlinFacts and figures: 50 participants

In this workshop, the current status of the academic structures at Afghan uni -versities was compared to those at German universities to gather insights and tofind out to what extent they could be applied to Afghan higher education institu-tions. Four areas were of prime importance:

• administration and organization• teaching and research• central services• technical infrastructure

In addition, a discussion took place with Prof. Akbar Popal, former President ofKabul University, experts, representatives from different development aid organ-izations, and university professors. It mainly focused on the question how to es-tablish sustainable academic structures, especially in Afghanistan. To allow fur-ther discussions on these topics with Afghan lecturers, the Konrad AdenauerFoundation in cooperation with the TU Berlin organized a subsequent conferencein Kabul.

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Symposium: Reconstructing Universities in Afghanistan

Date: August 28 – 29, 2002Venue: KabulFunded by: Konrad Adenauer Foundation, BerlinIn cooperation with: Kabul UniversityFacts and figures: 100 participants

On behalf of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, three representatives from theTU Berlin, Prof. Bernd Mahr, Dr. Janko Jochimsen and Dr. Thomas Kathöfer,traveled to Kabul to discuss the topics that had arisen during the workshop twoweeks before at TU Berlin:

• administration and organization• teaching and research• central services

The discussion in Berlin had shown that academic structures in Afghanistan werein need of a reliable solution approach. Thus, Prof. Mahr drafted a concept andpresented it to Dr. Fayez, the former Minister for Higher Education in Afghanis-tan.

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Workshop: Experiences of Afghan Lecturers at Institutions of Higher Education

Date: October 11, 2002Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 60 participants

Sixteen Afghan lecturers and administrative affiliates from the MoHE participatedin the first winter academy at TU Berlin. With their help, a workshop was organ-ized to discuss their impressions about Afghanistan and the experiences they hadgathered during the winter academy. Soon, it became apparent that all parti-cipants regarded the liberation of Afghanistan as an opportunity for develop-ment. They were of the opinion that Afghanistan needed sustainable educationalconcepts and wished for a continuous support from Germany and the worldcommunity as well as a close cooperation between the mentioned parties andthe responsible decision makers in Afghanistan.

Workshop: Implementing Information and Communication Technology in Developing Countries by the Example of Afghanistan

Date: October 18 – 20, 2002Venue: University of FreiburgFunded by: Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society), DAADIn cooperation with: Work group "Computer Science and Third World" of theGesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society), BonnFacts and figures: 200 participants

The former President of Kabul University, Prof. Akbar Popal, was invited to givethe keynote speech at the annual FIfF meeting in Freiburg (Forum Informatiker-Innen für Frieden und gesellschaftliche Verantwortung e.V., German ComputerScientists Forum for Peace and Social Responsibility). The arguments he presen-ted in favor of a consistent IT concept were discussed in depth during the work-shop, which was organized by the work group "Computer Science and ThirdWorld" of the Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. Prof. Popal referred to a consistentIT concept as essential prerequisite for a secure and sustainable planning of theIT supply.

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Conference: Basics for an Educational Strategy in Afghanistan

Date: June 20 – 22, 2003Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Heinrich Böll Foundation, BerlinGesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society), BonnFacts and figures: 150 participants

The conference focused on the topics of education and reconstruction of Afgh-anistan, prerequisites for an educational strategy, and reports from the uni-versities of Afghanistan. Three ministers from Afghanistan as well as the presid-ents from eight universities took part. The participants agreed that long-term ob-jectives and clear strategies were necessary to transfer skills and knowledge tothe Afghan people in order to enable them to live an individual and social life.The educational development needed to take into account political and socialsubjects, the strengthening of women's education, and the creation of infrastruc-tural prerequisites. It was also understood that existing functionalities should beused in Afghanistan for the employment of information technologies and for therebuilding of academic structures by means of strategic education and manage-ment.

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Afghanistan Week

Date: March 22 – 26, 2004Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Heinrich Böll Foundation, BerlinAfghan Embassy in BerlinFacts and figures: 200 participants

High representatives from the Afghan government and Afghan universities, rep-resentatives from German governmental and non-governmental organizations aswell as Afghans who lived in exile participated in this five-day event to discuss indetail the special issues of the reconstruction process in Afghanistan in the areaof higher education.

The main topics were:

• education and further training• security and agriculture• economy and technology• development and cooperation• culture and society

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Workshop: IT Strategy by the Example of Afghanistan

Date: September 29, 2004Venue: University of UlmFunded by: Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society), DAADIn cooperation with: Work group "Computer Science and Third World" of the Gesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society)Facts and figures: 200 participants

Considering it the most important prerequisite for a sustainable and functioningIT supply at Afghan universities, this workshop dealt with the urgent need to de-velop a national IT strategy for Afghanistan. Among the invited guests were theheads of the IT Department at the Ministry of Communication and at the Min-istry of Higher Education in Afghanistan as well as three representatives fromother Afghan higher education institutions.

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Workshop: IT Concept for the Ministry of Higher Education

Date: February 15 – 17, 2005Venue: KabulFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: MoHE, German Embassy in KabulFacts and figures: 80 participants

This workshop was organized on the basis of the results of the workshop "ITStrategy by the Example of Afghanistan" during the annual meeting of theGesellschaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society) on September 24,2004. Together with representatives of Afghan universities and the MoHE the fol-lowing fields of activities were discussed.

The MoHE and all universities in Afghanistan are in need of modern administrat-ive structures including information and communication technologies. Theseshall supplement and replace the traditional and time-consuming procedures.

In addition, each university was asked to elect an IT representative who managesall needs and the IT supply. They should then discuss their plans and needs withthe IT Department of the MoHE.

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Conference: Academic Reconstruction in Afghanistan – Achievements and Perspectives

Date: July 1 – 3, 2005Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 100 participants

After three years of reconstruction work in the Afghan academic sector, this con-ference aimed to draw interim results that would depict all achievements andshow the possible options for continuing the reconstruction process with specialattention to sustainability.

Among the participants were the Minister for Higher Education in Afghanistan,the Afghan Ambassador and presidents from Afghan universities. The delegationfrom Afghanistan was briefed on the German contribution to the reconstructionprocess in Afghanistan. The overall objective of the discussion was to facilitatethe dialog between all involved parties and to reassure the continuation of all re-construction measures in mutual agreement. All participants agreed that inter-national partnerships between universities were crucial to the further academicreconstruction in Afghanistan.

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Conference: IT Infrastructure in Afghanistan

Date: July 24 – 26, 2005Venue: HeratFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Herat University, MoHEFacts and figures: 80 participants

In this workshop, representatives from Afghan universities, the MoHE and inter-national guests talked about necessary measures to establish IT infrastructuresat Afghan universities. The discussion included topics like power supply, Internetaccess, construction measures, IT centers, PC labs for the faculties, university-wide networks, and specialized libraries for computer science.

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Workshop: IT Security

Date: November 8 – 10, 2005Venue: BalkhFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Balkh University, MoHEFacts and figures: 80 participants

Representatives from the most important universities in Afghanistan were in-vited to participate in this workshop in order to gather and exchange informationabout IT security issues in Afghanistan. Up until then, a general understanding ofIT security issues and requirements had mostly been lacking in Afghanistan, al-though its relevance is of increasing importance which is due to the growingnumber of PCs and computer networks throughout the country. A special focusof the discussion lay on the implementation of Open Source solutions to increaseIT security. Furthermore, it became clear that IT security needed to become partof the computer science curriculum. At the end of the workshop, CD ROMs withsamples of Open Source software were distributed to all participants.

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Workshop: Berlin Dialog – A Bridge between Germany and Afghanistan

Date: February 10 – 11, 2007Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADIn cooperation with: Afghan Embassy in BerlinFacts and figures: 50 participants

Within the scope of a winter academy, 18 Afghan students participated in aneducation program at the TU Berlin. The Afghan Embassy in Berlin and the ZiiKwanted them to meet with Afghan-German students from German universitiesto see whether both groups could collaborate in the future on their own. In theend, the participants decided to develop a platform that could help intensify thefuture cooperation.

Symposium: Sustainable and Secure IT Supply for the Area of Higher Education in Afghanistan

Date: August 28, 2008Venue: TU BerlinFunded by: DAADFacts and figures: 70 participants

Within the scope of this symposium, Prof. M. Osman Babury, Deputy Minister forHigher Education in Afghanistan, was invited to TU Berlin to make an overall as-sessment of the development of IT structures at Afghan universities from 2002onwards. Prof. Babury pointed out that though progress could be clearly identi-fied, still there were great deficits that needed to be addressed, especially withregard to power supply, Internet access and education of qualified and compet-ent personnel. He added that a reliable and sustainable IT supply needed to bebacked by a consistent IT strategy and its implementation.

DAN-Seminar: Afghanistan – Vision und Handlung(Afghanistan – Vision and Action)

Date: November 25 – 27, 2011Venue: Berlin-SteglitzFunded by: German Federal Foreign Office, DAADIn cooperation with: Afghan Embassy in Berlin, German-Afghan Network (DAN)Facts and figures: 60 participants

Prior to the international Afghanistan conference in Bonn in 2011, 50 German-Afghan students, who had been invited by the ZiiK, and representatives from theGerman-Afghan Network discussed about the future of Afghanistan and de-veloped concrete measures. The discussion was organized in separate workshopswhich covered the following six major areas:

1. politics and law2. education and culture3. economy4. urban and regional planning, traffic, energy and environment 5. sciences, information and communication technology6. public health

Representing the second generation of German-Afghan students, the young sci-entists agreed to actively contribute to the reconstruction of their country, actingas a bridge between Germany and Afghanistan.

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Annual IT Conferences in Kabul

Timeframe: Since 2005Funded by: DAADIn cooperation with: MoHEFacts and figures: Approx. 150 participants every year

Since 2005, the IT Department of the MoHE has been organizing annual IT con-ferences in cooperation with the ZiiK. These international conferences on "In-formation Technology for Higher Education in Afghanistan" take place every yearat the MoHE in Kabul. With these conferences, the MoHE actively promotes theimplementation of modern IT structures at Afghan universities.

Among the participants have been representatives from the Afghan government,presidents and representatives from all public Afghan universities, deans of com-puter science faculties, representatives from donor organizations like the DAADand World Bank, German universities and international GOs and NGOs as well asprivate companies from Afghanistan and other countries.

So far, the nine conferences dealt with the following topics:

2005: Information Technology for Higher Education in Afghanistan2006: IT Infrastructure for Higher Education in Afghanistan2007: Management and Coordination of IT Project in Afghanistan2008: National IT Strategy for Higher Education in Afghanistan2009: IT Security2010: Implementation of 24 Final Projects by Afghan Graduates in the Field of

Computer Science2011: An Assessment of IT in Higher Education in Afghanistan and its Effects

on Society2012: Current Situation and Perspectives2013: Innovation in Computer Science and Education

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Pictures from Various IT Conferences in Afghanistan

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13. Management and Administration

Development of an Internet Portal for Afghan Experts

Timeframe: March – May 2002

To support Afghan lecturers at institutions of higher education who had beenabroad during the years of war and who were committed to supporting the re-construction of the academic landscape in Afghanistan an Internet portal hasbeen created. With this portal, active and interested parties could get in touchwith each other.

This project was developed within the scope of the teaching course "ComputerScience and Developing Countries" at the TU Berlin during summer term 2002.The platform was developed and technically implemented by the participatingstudents. The system also aimed to support the DAAD in appointing short-termor long-term lecturers in Afghanistan.

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Creation and Maintenance of Websites

Timeframe: October 2003 – March 2004

Within the scope of the project "Developing Systems for Developing Countries"at the TU Berlin during winter term 2003/2004, a group of students developedweb site technologies for the Afghan Embassy in Berlin and for the Afghan uni-versities without any financial funding.

In September 2004, members from the Afghan Embassy, the MoHE, Kabul Uni-versity, Kabul Polytechnic University and Herat University were invited to the TUBerlin. They were taught how to further develop and maintain these websites ina three-week intensive training.

www.afghanische-botschaft.dewww.mohe.gov.af

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Development of an Online Platform for Entrance Exams


Within the scope of the project "Developing Systems for Developing Countries",an online platform for entrance examinations at Afghan universities was de-veloped at TU Berlin during winter semester 2006/07. The platform was to helpreplace the previous study application procedures in Afghanistan with a consist-ent and modern system and to provide administrative support during all phasesof the application.

Development of an Online Library for Afghan Universities


Within the scope of the project "Developing Systems for Developing Countries"at TU Berlin during winter semester 2005/2006, this platform was created withthe aim to support teaching, research and education at the Afghan universities. Itwas to provide literature metadata and literature electronically via Internet tolecturers and students alike.

Development of an Online Coordination Platform for Afghan Administrations


This platform was developed within the scope of the project "Developing Sys-tems for Developing Countries" during winter semester 2005/06 at TU Berlin.

The objective was to create a more effective administration of IT projects and toregister all existing and to-be-established infrastructure in the field of highereducation.

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Platform "SITiA" – Society for Information Technology in Afghanistan


This platform was developed within the project "Developing Systems for Devel-oping Countries" at TU Berlin during winter term 2012/13.

The objective was to improve the coordination of IT projects in Afghanistan andto give advice for the Afghan government according to the model of the Gesell-schaft für Informatik e.V. (German Informatics Society).

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14. Development of IT Concepts

The ZiiK of the TU Berlin has long-time experience in the area of computerscience and developing countries. This expertise has proven very helpful when itcame to drafting concepts with regard to the establishment of information tech-nology in the area of higher education in Afghanistan.

A selection of concepts is listed below:

No. Date Title of Concept Author

1 01/2002 Work Group "Information and Communication Technology for the Reconstruction of Afghanis-tan (AITA)"

Mahr/Peroz

2 01/2002 Concept for an Afghan Academy for Men and Women in Afghanistan

Mahr/Peroz

3 04/2002 Concept for an IT Center at Kabul University Peroz

4 05/2002 Proposal for a Computer Science Curriculum at the Faculty for Computer Science at Kabul Uni-versity

Peroz

5 01/2003 IT Strategy Plan for the Construction of Higher Education in Afghanistan

Mahr

6 06/2003 Strategy for Information Technology in Afghanis-tan

Peroz

7 09/2003 Proposal for a German-Afghan Society Peroz

8 12/2004 Concept for the Future Development of the IT Center at Kabul University (ITCK)

Peroz

9 12/2004 IT Administration for the MoHE Peroz

10 12/2004 IT Training for the IT Center at Kabul University Peroz

11 07/2005 Proposal for the Development and Implementa-tion of a Nationally Standardized Bachelor’s De-gree Program in Computing and Information Technology in Afghanistan

Mahr/Peroz

12 11/2005 Strategy Proposal for a Nationwide Information Technology at Afghan Universities (HITS)

Peroz

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13 12/2005 Proposal for a National IT Strategy (NITS) re-garding Higher Education in Afghanistan

Peroz

14 02/2006 Framework for Information Technology at Herat University

Peroz

15 10/2007 Framework for Information Technology at Kabul University

Peroz

16 10/2007 Draft for the Constitution of an IT Board Peroz

17 07/2008 National Strategic Plan for IT in Higher Educa-tion

Babury/Saay/Peroz

18 08/2008 Recommendations regarding the Development of IT in Teaching and Research in Kabul

Peroz

19 11/2008 Proposal for the Establishment of an IT Work Group at Kabul University

Peroz

20 2009 Framework for a Functional IT Supply in Higher Education in Afghanistan

Peroz

21 01/2009 Draft: Realizing IT Structures at Balkh University Peroz

22 10/2009 Proposal for the Development and Implementa-tion of a Bachelor's Degree Program in Com-puter Science at Herat University

Peroz

23 04/2010 Proposal for a Master's Program for Computer Science Lecturers

Peroz

24 01/2012 Foundation of an IT Society in Afghanistan Peroz

25 10/2012 Proposal for Measures to Establish an Integ-rated IT Supply System within the Framework ofthe National IT Strategy Plan for Higher Educa-tion in Afghanistan

Babury/Peroz

26 03/2013 Proposal: Establishing a German-Afghan Uni-versity in Afghanistan

Peroz

27 04/2013 Project Proposal: Training Vocational Teachers inIT in the Framework of a Community College Program in Afghanistan

Peroz

28 12/2013 Draft: Establishing an Afghanistan Research and Education Network (AfgREN)

Peroz

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Appendix: Pictures from Various Activities

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it structures for higher education in afghanistan...it structures for higher education in...

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