Taliban Seek Qatari Professors and Academic Support for Afghan Universities

KABUL — Taliban Minister of Higher Education Mullah Nida Mohammad Nadim has called on Qatar and other Islamic countries to send professors to Afghan universities and provide support to the country’s academic system.

According to the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education, Nadim made the request during a meeting in Kabul with Qatar’s Ambassador Mardif bin Ali Al-Qashti. He claimed that the Taliban’s education system is committed to modern sciences while operating within the framework of Islamic Sharia and Afghan culture.

The ministry said the Qatari ambassador pledged to support Afghanistan’s academic and scientific sectors. He reportedly promised assistance in equipping the advanced cancer center at Kabul University of Medical Sciences and continuing cooperation in various scientific fields.

The request comes amid ongoing concerns over the condition of Afghanistan’s higher education sector under Taliban rule. Restrictions, institutional changes and measures imposed by the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education have reportedly led hundreds of academics and education professionals, including staff at Kabul and Herat universities, to resign or leave the country.

The developments have raised questions about the future of Afghanistan’s universities, particularly regarding the availability of qualified academic staff and access to international scientific cooperation.