Kabul Polytechnic University

Background

At the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE), we view ourselves as a vital architectural and engineering link between Afghan professionals worldwide and the institutions operating within our homeland,. A cornerstone of this mission is our enduring relationship with Kabul Polytechnic University (KPU). Established in 1963, KPU stands as the second-largest technical institution of higher education in Afghanistan and has been essential in producing cadres of technical experts for decades. We are deeply committed to supporting KPU’s students, faculty, and academic programs to ensure that the next generation of engineers and architects is equipped to rebuild and develop Afghanistan to international standards.

Capacity Building and Academic Training

We believe that providing direct technical services and continuous education to Afghan institutions is essential for the sustainable development of the nation,. Our collaborative training efforts with KPU have taken many forms over the years:

• Building Code Implementation: To support the safe reconstruction of Afghanistan’s infrastructure, we developed a specialized, one-week training course on the International Building Code (IBC) for university professors. Numerous professors from KPU’s engineering and architecture departments actively participated in these sessions, learning vital modern standards to pass on to their students,. Our collaborative efforts on building codes date back to 2003, when KPU faculty joined an SAE-formed committee dedicated to developing the Afghan Building Code.
• Virtual Education and the Afghan Architecture Studio: As part of our commitment to modern, accessible education, we include KPU students in our online learning initiatives. Through the Afghan Architecture Studio (AAS), a significant number of our enrolled students come directly from KPU, where they receive advanced, remote instruction in architectural design from our global network of experts.
• International Partnerships: Our members have been instrumental in bridging the gap between KPU and Western educational institutions. For instance, an SAE member helped establish a highly successful partnership between KPU and the University of Brighton in the UK, which allowed twelve junior lecturers from KPU to travel abroad and successfully complete their master’s degrees before returning to teach in Afghanistan.

The Bamiyan International Student Design Competition

In our quest to foster architectural competency and global collaboration, our Architecture and Urban Design Subcommittee launched the Bamiyan International Student Design Competition, challenging students to design sustainable housing for the displaced cave dwellers of Bamiyan,.

KPU was one of the key Afghan institutions to enthusiastically register for this global competition. To ensure their students could compete on an international level, our resident representative in Kabul held direct meetings with KPU’s leadership, including President Abdul Rashid Eqbal and the Dean of Civil Engineering, Dr. Amanullah Faqiri. Recognizing that KPU students faced technical limitations and a lack of adequate equipment to produce high-quality design presentations, we stepped in to provide the necessary stationery, materials, and equipment directly to KPU’s architecture students,.

Academic Support and Institutional Collaboration

Beyond direct instruction, we maintain an active and supportive presence in KPU’s broader academic and institutional life:

• Conferences and Symposia: We are honored to be regularly invited to KPU to share our expertise. For example, our SAE representative participated in and delivered a speech on our behalf at a highly regarded three-day international conference on water held at KPU in February 2025.
• Promoting Academic Research: We actively support KPU’s publication efforts, such as the Kabul Polytechnic University International Journal of Engineering and Technology (KPU-iJET). By utilizing our global platform and eNewsletter, we promote the journal and recruit highly qualified, peer-reviewing scientists and engineers from our ranks to help KPU maintain rigorous academic standards,.
• Celebrating Student Success: We consistently share in the joy of KPU’s academic milestones. Our representatives attend KPU graduation ceremonies, taking the opportunity to deliver speeches, congratulate the new graduates, and remind them of the global network of Afghan engineers standing ready to support their future endeavors,,.

Through hands-on training, resource provision, and unwavering academic support, we remain dedicated to our partnership with Kabul Polytechnic University. We will continue to collaborate with KPU’s leadership and students to foster the innovation, technical capacity, and engineering excellence required for the prosperous future of Afghanistan.