Afghanistan Report 2009 - Isaf - Nato

NATO provides internet connectivity
to afghan students
Named after the Great Silk Road trading route
linking Asia and Europe, the NATO Virtual Silk
Highway (SILK) project provides Internet access
via satellite to the academic communities of the
Caucasus and Central Asia. Since 2006, it is also
operational at the Kabul University and will be
expanded to the provinces. Through SILK, NATO
Public Diplomacy Division’s Science for Peace
and Security (SPS) programme is assisting the
Afghan authorities in developing their educational
system.
Kabul Area: In 2008, the SPS programme
connected all 14 faculties of the Kabul University
and the Ministry of Higher Education to a campus
network and set-up a video teleconferencing
facility. Work is in progress to provide Internet
access through the Virtual Silk Highway to other
higher education institutions in Kabul, including
the National Military Academy, and the Media and
Information Center.
Linking the provinces: In March 2008, the NATO
Consultation, Command and Control Agency
(NC3A) was tasked to conduct a feasibility study on
the potential provision of internet connectivity for
universities outside of Kabul. The tender process
for this expanded SILK project is underway and
implementation could start by the end of 2009. The
Afghan Ministry of Higher Education has identified
6 universities as the first beneficiaries: Herat
University; Jawzjan University in Sheberghan;
Kandahar University, Sheikh Zaid University in
Khost Province, Balkh University in Mazar-e-
Sharif; and Nangarhar University in Jalalabad.
The Virtual Silk Highway provides the academic community in Afghanistan with access to modern technology.
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