Afghan University Student Exchange Program in India

With the cooperation and approval of the Ministry of Higher Education, the US Embassy is pleased to announce The Afghan University Student Exchange Program in India that will provide an intensive U.S.-style professional training program for up to 50 senior (4th year in 2011) English majors and 2010 graduates from six (6) Afghan universities. The program aims to enhance and broaden the professional skill sets of potential adjunct instructors in English Departments at the following Afghan universities: Kabul, Kabul Education, Herat (Faculty of Languages and Literature), Balkh (Faculty of Languages and Literature), Bamiyan, and Nangahar universities. 

One 4-week program for men only will be conducted from January 10-February 4, 2011 and a second 4-week women-only course will be conducted from February 7- March 4, 2011. Both courses will be comprised of the following:

Participation in an initial orientation and enrollment in a 4-week academic program at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad India taught by experienced American English Language Specialists and EFLU professional staff.  Female Afghan group leaders/chaperones will accompany the women’s group and male Afghan group leaders/chaperones will accompany the men’s group.    

Activities and seminars during the program will focus on theoretical and practical topics such as teaching methodology, pedagogy, resources, and technology.  Topics will include some of the following topics, based on an initial needs assessment of the selected participants.

• Introduction to U.S. Culture
• Teaching Methodology and Pedagogy, including Curriculum Development
• Methods: A Brief Historical Overview
• Communicative Competence
• Communicative Language Teaching: Principles and Practice
• Learner Strategies
• Content-Based Instruction: Principles and Practices
• Cooperative Learning
• Using Visuals Effectively in the ESL/EFL Classroom
• Teaching Grammar
• Teaching Pronunciation: Guiding Principles
• Encouraging Participation in Discussion Activities
• Teaching Word Consciousness
• Teaching Writing
• Teaching the Listening Skills
• Designing Curriculum
• Assessment
• Teaching Reading Interactively

Program activities will include faculty seminars, discussion sessions, assigned academic readings, projects and presentations, and student forums.  Participants will give a final presentation at the end of the academic program demonstrating the knowledge learned and how they plan to implement their new skills at their home university or in their teaching careers. Additionally, participants are expected to serve as cultural ambassadors for US-style English teaching upon return to their Afghan institutions. Participants who successfully complete the four-week program and follow-up evaluation will be given Certificates of Completion from the US Embassy Kabul and the English and Foreign Languages University.

Requirements for Applicants

Applicants must:

• be of Afghan nationality and resident in Afghanistan
• be a 2010 B.A. graduate in English or a senior (4th year starting in March 2011) student in a Department of English and have a strong academic background
• have at least one letter of recommendation from their professors and/or employers (not family member)
• take an English proficiency screening exam including writing a short essay with an acceptable score
• have the potential to hold adjunct faculty positions at an Afghan university
• demonstrated interest in and intent to continue teaching at the university level
• demonstrated leadership qualities
• submit an application on line with statement of purpose and a current c.v.
• have a minimum average score or grade of 75%
• not have taken any  ‘second chance’  exam during their course of studies

Application Process

Applications for the program will be available on the US embassy website http://kabul.usembassy.gov and by email request from: KabulEFLU@state.gov