AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF AFGHANISTAN
Senator Inouye
Statement Placed into Congressional Record
November 18, 2009
Mr. President,
I rise today to apprise my colleagues of an impressive effort in Afghanistan. I recently had the opportunity to visit with our military troops and civilian personnel serving in Afghanistan. While I was there, I had the pleasure to meet Dr. Michael Smith, president of The American University of Afghanistan. I was embarrassed to admit that until meeting Dr. Smith, I had never heard of the university.
Upon learning more about the university, I am encouraged to know that while bombs are bursting and bullets are flying, there is an ongoing and successful American mission to provide educational opportunities to the men and women of Afghanistan.
Today, the American University of Afghanistan has 450 students and will graduate their first class next spring. The student body draws from every province and ethnic group in Afghanistan and is nineteen percent female and growing. While the majority of faculty members are American, 15 other countries are represented, including Afghanistan.
The university models itself after other strong international American universities like the American University of Cairo and the American University of Beirut. Its programs focus on business and entrepreneurship, information technology, and many other professional areas.
Since over 85 percent of the student body have been immigrants at some point in their lives and 29 percent of students graduated high school in Pakistan, one goal of creating this university is to enable Afghans the educational opportunity to earn a degree that can be utilized for the betterment of Afghanistan.
I know many of my colleagues have plans to travel to Afghanistan to visit with our troops. I would encourage all of you to take some time to learn about this university which is one of the unsung efforts we have undertaken in Afghanistan.
I urge my colleagues to support this mission so when the military departs Afghanistan we can leave with a smile and our heads held high knowing that we have not only supported the security and stabilization of Afghanistan but have provided a sustained educational mission as well.
