This independent study on the state of academic freedom and higher education in Afghanistan identifies the scope of the crisis while bringing a contextual analysis aimed at helping international policy responses.
Here are the key findings of this report:
• The return of the Taliban to power in 2021 has had a devastating impact on the state of academic freedom and higher education in Afghanistan. The study found that since the return of the Taliban, more than 3,000 Afghan academics have left their jobs or the country due to Taliban’s restriction on academic freedom and threats of persecution. Similarly, the student body at both public and private universities in Afghanistan have shrunk by almost half, including female students who have been impacted by the Taliban’s ban on secondary and higher education;
• The Taliban have introduced significant institutional and curricular changes in Afghanistan’s higher education system, further shrinking space for academic freedom and promoting religious radicalization. These include removing certain subjects such as human rights or peace studies and increasing Islamic studies subjects from the previously 8 credits to 24 credits across all subjects and degree programs. The Taliban’s Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has been given an oversight role on the higher education system, which includes curricular reviews. Taliban members are appointed in top leadership positions as well as faculty members at Afghan universities.
For more information on the research, please contact melanieadrian@cunet.carleton.ca.