[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 171 (Wednesday, November 18, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S11484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF AFGHANISTAN

  Mr. INOUYE. 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 undergraduate 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 the students graduated high 
school in Pakistan, one goal of creating this university is to enable 
Afghanis 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.

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