University of Hartford

Background

At the Society of Afghan Engineers (SAE), we believe that strengthening higher education and empowering the next generation of professionals are fundamental to the sustainable rebuilding of Afghanistan. Our connection with the University of Hartford (UH) in Connecticut has been a cornerstone of this vision, largely spearheaded by one of our esteemed Board of Directors members, Dr. Mohammad Saleh Keshawarz. Dr. Keshawarz is a Full Professor and the former Chair of the Civil, Environmental, and Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of Hartford.

Through his leadership, and with our organizational support, we have proudly fostered a transformative academic partnership that has resurrected and modernized engineering education in Afghanistan.

The Herat University and University of Hartford Engagement

Initiated in August 2007 under the Strengthening Higher Education Program (SHEP) and funded by the World Bank, the cooperative engagement between the University of Hartford and Herat University (HU) aimed to develop and implement a modern program to strengthen engineering education at HU. This collaboration was executed in structured phases to ensure long-term academic excellence and capacity building.

Phase I: Curriculum Modernization and Faculty Development

During the first phase of this initiative, SAE focused on bringing Herat University’s existing engineering program up to modern, international standards.

• Curriculum Upgrades: The Civil Engineering curriculum was completely updated and phased in at HU. In terms of content and coverage, this new curriculum was elevated to be on par with typical American engineering programs, ensuring that all engineering courses at HU were designed to be transferable to the University of Hartford as equivalent courses.
• Graduate Training for Junior Faculty: To elevate local teaching capacity, 17 junior faculty members from Herat University traveled to the University of Hartford. After attending intensive English preparatory courses, they pursued their Master’s degrees in civil engineering, civil/architecture, and mechanical/mechatronics. Sixteen of these professionals successfully completed their degrees and returned to Herat to teach full-time.
• Faculty Shadowing and Exchange: Senior faculty, including the Dean of Engineering at Herat, traveled to Hartford to shadow university administrators, observe engineering classes, and practice administrative and management skills. Conversely, engineering faculty from the University of Hartford traveled to Herat to co-teach courses, assist in curriculum revisions, conduct research, and provide ongoing faculty enrichment.

Phase II: Expanding Academic Frontiers

To meet Afghanistan’s growing infrastructure needs, the second phase of the engagement successfully expanded Herat University’s academic offerings beyond civil engineering.

• New Degree Programs: In 2010, Herat University inaugurated new Architecture and Mechatronics fields. The complete four-year curricula for both of these programs were developed by the University of Hartford and subsequently adopted by HU.
• Specialized Faculty Training: Five additional Herat University engineering graduates were selected to be trained at the University of Hartford so they could assume faculty positions in these newly formed programs. Three were trained in Mechatronics and two in Architecture, eventually returning to Herat to teach.
• Laboratory Establishment: With guidance from the University of Hartford, state-of-the-art facilities were established at HU to integrate laboratory experience with theoretical learning. This included a combined Electrical Engineering/Mechatronics lab, a dedicated PC-Lab, and a fully equipped Architecture Studio designed to accommodate 120 students.

Continued Collaboration and Global Academic Engagement

Our relationship with the University of Hartford has extended well beyond university-to-university capacity building, as we have engaged their academic community in our global SAE initiatives.

When SAE hosted the “International Student Design Competition” aimed at designing sustainable housing for displaced cave dwellers in Bamiyan, the University of Hartford’s Department of Civil, Environmental, and Biomedical Engineering participated alongside other prestigious global institutions like MIT and Harvard. A student from the University of Hartford, guided by their faculty advisor, was proudly awarded an Honorary Mention and a cash prize for their innovative design submission. Furthermore, UH faculty have contributed their research on Afghan architecture at international conferences co-organized by SAE, further bridging the gap between our nations.

Through these collaborative efforts, we at SAE are incredibly proud of the lasting impact the University of Hartford has had on empowering Afghan professionals and building the nation’s human capital.