American University of Afghanistan reopens after attack

The American University of Afghanistan has reopened, seven months after gunmen attacked the institution, leaving more than a dozen people dead.

The university, based in Kabul, closed in August 2016 following the attack, in which a professor and seven students were killed.  

Just weeks before the attack, two of the university’s English-language academics, an American and an Australian, were abducted at gunpoint by kidnappers dressed as Afghan security forces just outside the campus.

Classes resumed at the end of March and the institution has upgraded its security by almost doubling the height of boundary walls, while guard towers and checkpoints are now manned by armed guards.

David Sedney, a former US deputy assistant security of defence for Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia, was appointed acting president of the university in September after Mark English stepped down from the role.

The university, which bills itself as Afghanistan’s only private, not-for-profit, “non-partisan” and co-educational university, opened in 2006 and has more than 1,700 full- and part-time students.

ellie.bothwell@timeshighereducation.com