American University of Afghanistan (AUAF)

OVERVIEW

The American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) was chartered under the new Afghan Constitution and Civil Code as a private, independent, non-sectarian institution of higher education.

AUAF implements an American model of higher education, replicating a liberal arts, student-centered, critical thinking learning model. The structure of its academic programs, course content, and pedagogy are based on results-oriented, internationally-recognized best practices in education. Experienced faculty members, teaching staff, and administrators are recruited from the United States and international colleges and universities.

Resources that facilitate the learning process, such as the 14,000-volume library, dependable internet, a variety of learning and teaching methodologies and technologies, classrooms, laboratories, and student services are structured to meet international standards for quality.

AUAF opened in September 2006 and became operational for the 2007 – 2008 academic years, with 141 students enrolled as freshmen and sophomores. The first 32 graduates received their degrees in a ceremony on May 26, 2011. In February 2018, AUAF became the first university in Afghanistan to receive institutional accreditation from the Ministry of Higher Education.

ACTIVITIES

• Providing the Foundation Studies Program, a college preparatory experience for high school graduates, designed to strengthen English language proficiency and study skills to the level needed for admission to AUAF's undergraduate programs.
• Providing equal educational opportunities for women in the regular academic programs, as well as high-demand, market-connected fields of accounting and information and communication technology.
• Offering a campus environment that is supportive and intellectually challenging, with world-class services and modern facilities.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• Increased student enrollment from 53 to 906 between the years of 2006 to 2018, of which, 42 percent are women.
• Awarded 723 undergraduate degrees and 471 graduate degrees, as of July 2018.
• Launched Afghanistan's first Master of Business Administration program in 2011.
• Developed a Bachelor of Arts and Law degree with Stanford Law School to cultivate a professional class of lawyers.
• Equipped more than 300 women with the entrepreneurial and business skills through the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Program at The Women's Center.
• Established the Center for Teaching and Learning in March 2017 to provide direct pedagogical support for AUAF’s teaching staff to constantly improve the level of education provided at AUAF.