On June 17, Kandahar University administrators, faculty members, and students celebrated the opening of the university’s ANGeL Center.  The center will fundamentally change the roles of faculty by giving them access to current information in their respective disciplines.  Through computers in the center, instructors will be able to connect to the Afghanistan digital library system and e-learning resources, such as online journals and academic papers.  Since resources will be readily available, instructors will be able to spend less time searching for materials and focus more time on facilitating student learning.

Vice Chancellor Shah Mahmoud Barak opened the ceremony by emphasizing the importance of this learning center to Kandahar University’s efforts to provide quality instruction.  A USAID representative noted that the ANGeL Center will provide an important link between Kandahar University and universities in other parts of the world.  Students will now have access to online courses in academic areas that are not currently available in Kandahar.

IT skills instruction at the center will follow the International Computer Drivers License (ICDL) curriculum.  This ANGeL Center – like the six other ANGeL Centers already operating in Afghan universities – will be licensed to offer ICDL certificates to individuals who complete all seven course modules and obtain a passing score on the ICDL exam.  The ICDL and English classes will begin this summer.

After the ceremony, members of the university community visited the ANGeL Center, which includes 50 computers and other media that will support instruction in information technology, English, and e-learning for Kandahar University faculty and students.  Students and faculty members who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony expressed their gratitude to USAID and Afghan eQuality Alliances for making it possible to access the skills and information they need.