Afghanistan Policy, Programs & Research: Centering Student Voices

This event convenes recently resettled Afghan university students to discuss their experiences with higher education in Afghanistan, Iraq, and the United States. It also brings them into dialogue with scholars, practitioners, and policy experts in the fields of forced migration, education in emergencies, and foreign policy. 

Policies, programs, and research relevant to Afghans and Afghanistan are especially mutable at the moment. The opportunity to inform changes is substantial. Yet, a key stakeholder group is often overlooked. While student voices are critically relevant to policy, they are typically drowned out in the sea of elite policy discourse. The research that informs policy also seldom includes youth perspectives. Therefore, this conference will center and amplify student voices before uniting them with those who regularly inform policy. The event concludes with a facilitated workshop for all participants to translate insights into action.

This event is hosted by the Hollings Center for International Dialogue and the GW UNESCO Chair in International Education for Development, which is housed within GSEHD’s International Education Program.

Read GW Today's Article Recapping the Event

 Dr. Jihae Cha, Dr. Laura Engel, and former adjunct professor Dr. Kyle Long are quoted.