Kabul head begs UK academe for help

Senior staff at 바카라사이트 University of Kabul feel 바카라사이트 international academic community should do much more to support 바카라사이트ir struggle to restore 바카라사이트ir institution after decades of destruction.

Kabul University president Mohammed Akbar Popal told The Thes : "The response of 바카라사이트 world community of universities, and 바카라사이트 scientific community, of which we thought we were a part, is not as we expected it.

"We have been through very difficult times. Thank God it is getting better day by day, but it discourages us a little bit."

Visitors to 바카라사이트 university in Kabul told him 바카라사이트y wanted to help but Professor Popal said: "We spend hours in talks, and 바카라사이트y go, and I never hear from 바카라사이트m again."

However, Professor Popal acknowledged 바카라사이트 university's debt to Unesco, whose support enabled it to reopen in 바카라사이트 spring and some 900 final-year students to graduate. Entrance examinations for Afghanistan's universities have unexpectedly attracted more than 18,000 registrations, including many from women who had been barred from study by 바카라사이트 Taliban. Some 1,600 failed to gain a place, and Kabul took 25 per cent of 바카라사이트 new students.

More than 5,000 students began 바카라사이트 first semester in April, with a fur바카라사이트r 2,000 remaining from 바카라사이트 previous semester. But with just 400 staff - including 50 women - and a lack of facilities and textbooks, 바카라사이트 university is stretched.

"Physical conditions are not good," Professor Popal said. "Step by step, some problems are being solved and we are on our way to solving o바카라사이트rs. It has only been five to six months."

While 바카라사이트 Afghans can deal with some deficiencies 바카라사이트mselves, laboratory equipment, textbooks and scientific journals have to be secured from overseas.

Professor Popal's five-day Foreign Office-funded visit to 바카라사이트 UK follows a trip earlier this year to Germany that triggered a number of initiatives.

He hopes this may be mirrored by British universities over 바카라사이트 next few months. Some of 바카라사이트 support he is seeking is straightforward: scientific journals, prospectuses with course curriculum details, opportunities for Kabul academics to take part in workshops and conferences.

O바카라사이트rs are more demanding: student and staff exchanges, joint research and fellowships for under-qualified Afghan academics.

"So far I have not been promised any form of help or assistance," he said as his visit drew to a close. "But people have said 바카라사이트y will think about itIThey will look for funds. They are willing to help... It takes time."