Ministry of Higher Education Advances Academic Excellence: Key Milestones from (Dalwa) January–February
The Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan carried out a range of academic, institutional, research, and infrastructure initiatives aimed at strengthening higher education, improving academic quality, and expanding educational services across the country. The following analytical summary highlights the 20 major activities and achievements accomplished during this period.
1. Academic Development and Expansion
A significant milestone was achieved with the approval of the Faculty of Prophetic Traditional Medicine, established for the first time in Afghanistan under a special decree of His Excellency Amir al-Mumineen. This reflects efforts to diversify academic disciplines and integrate traditional knowledge within higher education.
Moreover, the official inauguration of a newly approved religious school in Kunar Province was carried out, alongside the commencement of construction works for its facilities, marking an important step toward strengthening regional access to higher education services.
2. Infrastructure Improvement
Infrastructure development remained a priority. Renovation work began on two laboratory sections at the Faculty of Education of Sheikh Zayed University, funded at 750,000 Afghanis Moreover, construction of a mosque (masjid) cost 20 million Afghanis started at Paktia University, designed to accommodate approximately 1,200 worshippers.
Furthermore, approval was granted for the permanent building of the Teaching Hospital of Herat University’s Faculty of Medicine, which will significantly support medical education and healthcare services.
3. Strengthening Academic Governance
The Ministry organized a two-day seminar explaining monitoring and evaluation procedures as well as reward and disciplinary guidelines for public and private universities. A specialized workshop on planning, reporting, and statistics preparation was also conducted for 16 universities and one religious school in the Northeast Zone, enhancing administrative capacity and institutional accountability.
4. Leadership Engagement and Academic Dialogue
The Minister of Higher Education, Sheikh al-Hadith Mawlavi Neda Mohammad Nadeem, conducted an official visit to Nangarhar Province, meeting university leadership, academic staff to discuss academic development. The minister also delivered remarks at a national conference on professional skills and vocational development.
5. Graduation and Human Resource Development
Several academic and religious schools celebrated graduation ceremonies, contributing qualified professionals to society:
•    130 medical doctors graduated from the 59th cohort of Nangarhar University’s Faculty of Medicine.
•    Multiple religious schools graduated specialists in Ifta and Judiciary, including:
    34 graduates from Balkh Imam Abu Yusuf Religious School
    37 graduates from Abdullah Ibn Mubarak Religious School (Paktia)
    37 graduates from Imam Abu Hanifa Religious School (Nangarhar)
    28 graduates from Imam Qutaiba bin Saeed Religious School (Kunduz)
These graduates contribute to both professional and religious education across the country.
6. Research, Publications, and Academic Quality
Academic research received notable support:
    The Tahsil Research Magazine of Laghman University obtained official academic accreditation.
    The internal academic magazine of Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University received certification of credibility.
    New issues of research magazines from Sheikh Zayed University and Balkh University were published.
    For the first time, a newspaper titled “Fikr” was launched at Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University to disseminate academic achievements and scholarly discussions.
7. Inter-Ministerial Academic Cooperation
A memorandum of understanding was signed between the higher education and public health ministries to enhance research and academic collaboration, particularly in medical and health.
Conclusion
Overall, the ministry’s activities during the mentioned period demonstrate a balanced approach toward:
    expanding academic programs,
    improving infrastructure,
    strengthening governance and institutional capacity,
    promoting research and publications
    producing skilled human resources.