Strengthening the Capacity of Private Universities in Northern Afghanistan to Provide Quality Education

The Public Affairs Section (PAS) of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan is pleased to announce an open competition for assistance awards through this Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP). PAS invites all eligible organizations (see Section IV for Eligibility Requirements) to submit a proposal for a cooperative agreement to strengthen the young and growing private university sector in northern Afghanistan. Working in close cooperation with the PAS of the U.S. Consulate in Mazar-e-Sharif, the awardee will work with the Private Universities Union in Northern Afghanistan (PUUNA) to assess its structure and capacity as an organization to support the collective growth of the 16-member association. This assessment may include, but is not limited to, developing recommendations for (1) how the association can develop integrated academic standards that support an education promoting critical thinking, diversity and open-mindedness; (2) how the association can establish and develop partnerships with appropriate universities in the region in support of those goals; and (3) how the association can support its members to provide an education that gives Afghan students the skills to succeed in the 21st century. The awardee will give special attention to assessing the quality of the English instruction provided by the member schools, and recommend steps PUUNA can take to help its members provide the best English teaching facilities and resources possible.