Overview

Overview of Languages and Literature Faculty

Nangarhar University, Jalalabad 

Founded in: 1985

Email: Literature@nu.edu.af 

Website: Www.nu.edu.af

This faculty was founded based on the Nangarhar University’s academic and development plan in 1985. Its first dean was Professor Fiz Mohammad Fayaz and then was followed by Associate professor Maroof Shah Shinwary, Professor Masood Nikbakhat, Assisstant Professor Sayed Ghafoor Ghaforri, Associate Professor Fazal Wali Nagar, Associate Professor Maroof Shah Shinwary and the incumbent dean is Professor Masood Nikbakhat. At its start it had only one department (Pashto) and six instructors. The faculty was named initially as Pashto and literature faculty. Later, the Russian language and Literature department was added to its structure for a few years. Moreover, in order to answer the contemporary needs of the Afghan society more departments were added, which are addressed here chronologically: The English Language and Literature department was added in 1991, which is producing BA level graduates. Additionally, in 1992 the Arabic language and Literature department was established in the structure of the faculty. It is also worth mentioning, that the night shift of Pashto department was established and operated in the Languages and Literature faculty for the initial two years but in 2005 it was transferred to Educational faculty’s structure. Moreover, since 1991 the faculty and especially the Pashto department has witnessed development in its curriculum for example, the Russian language, Academic sociology and Political economy classes were replaced by English language and Islamic studies. Likewise, the Dari language and Literature department was launched in 2004, Hindi language and Literature department in 2006 and German language and Literature in 2015. The German department has graduated its first cohort in 2018.

 Besides, the Pashto department started its graduate program in 2014. Two cohorts have already completed their graduations, currently it has its third group and for the fourth group the admission process will be completed based on the approval of the University’s authorities and Ministry of Higher Education.    

Once the faculty added other departments beside Pashto department, it changed its name to Language and Literature faculty. Since its establishment the faculty has produce 3030 graduates from its six departments to serve the Afghan society. Furthermore, in 2005 the (کلية الغتة العربيه) sent its 99 students, who were admitted to the Arabic department. 

Currently, 1500 students are enrolled in this faculty (in 2019), amongst them 200 are female. To improve students capabilities the faculty has provided the facilities of library, computer lab and internet in its premises, but these facility are inadequate to fulfill the needs of the current students. The mentioned number of students is receiving instruction from 55 instructors; these instructors have completed their graduates and post-graduates degrees inside and outside Afghanistan.

At present, the Languages and Literature faculty has six functional departments:

  • Pashto Language and Literature Department
  • Arabic Language and Literature Department
  • Dari Language and Literature Department
  • English Language and Literature Department
  • Hindi Language and Literature Department
  • German Language and Literature Department

Similarly, the faculty has 10 inter-faculty committees:

  1. Discipline Committee
  2. Cultural Committee
  3. Exam and Assessment Committee
  4. Quality Assurance Committee
  5. Curriculum Committee
  6. Research Committee
  7. Strategic Plan’s Committee
  8. Sport Committee
  9. Renovation Committee
  10. E-Learning Committee

Language and Literature faculty has started night shift’s undergraduate programs in the departments of English and Pashto. After few initial obstacles now they are normally functioning.  

Faculty’s Vision and Goals:

Afghanistan is an underdeveloped country; its infrastructural and academic development is depended on the progress and educating of younger generation. The social awareness of Afghan society needs to be enhanced, its residents needs to stand on their own feet in every walks of life. The true reason of social and security problems is poverty, unemployment, the unavailability of public services, social injustice and lower level education. Based on these facts, the vision and goals of Language and literature faculty are designed as follow.  

Vision    

To educate and train professional cadres in national and international languages (Pashto Language and Literature, English Language and Literature, Dari Language and Literature, Arabic Language and Literature, Hindi Language and Literature and German Language and Literature), in order to achieve the nation’s industrial and technological requirements.

Another aspect of the vision is to enhance Afghan culture, tradition and literature. Similarly, in order to improve the relationships of national languages with international languages and to provide platforms for integrating foreign languages and knowledge into Afghan society. Additionally, in order to translate academic publications from foreign languages to national languages and vise versa. Moreover, many instructors of languages and Literature faculty have translated several academic publications from foreign languages to national languages and carried out research activities by the help of foreign languages’ sources. 

Objectives and Goals:

  • To educate and train professional cadres in the discipline of Languages and Literature and offering them to serve the nation.
  • To enhance and preserve national culture in academic and professional issues.
  • To conduct seminars and conferences, and to improve human resources’ capacities.
  • To conduct seminars on Afghan national, religious and heritage personalities and to introduce them to Afghan youth.
  • To provide facilities for launching graduate programs in every department.
  • To start publishing faculty’s literatures and professional magazine (Adabyat). The initial steps have been taken and will soon start its publication.