The Relationship between Universities and Foreign Policy in Afghanistan (2001–2021): An Empirical Analysis of the Place of Higher Education in International Policymaking

Bogheiry, Ali

Volume 15, Issue 3 (Quarterly Journal of Political Research in the Islamic World, Fall 2025 2025) پژوهشهاي سياسي جهان اسلام 2025, 15(3): 0-0 | Back to browse issues page

Mendeley

Zotero

RefWorks

Bogheiry A. The Relationship between Universities and Foreign Policy in Afghanistan (2001–2021): An Empirical Analysis of the Place of Higher Education in International Policymaking. پژوهشهاي سياسي جهان اسلام 2025; 15 (3)
URL: http://priw.ir/article-1-2005-en.html

The Relationship between Universities and Foreign Policy in Afghanistan (2001–2021): An Empirical Analysis of the Place of Higher Education in International Policymaking

Ali Bogheiry ^*

Assistant Professor of Ahl al-Bayt International University, Tehran, Iran , Boghairyali@yahoo.com

Abstract: (33 Views)

This study examines the two-way relationship between higher education and foreign policy in Afghanistan during the period 2001-2021 and focuses on the strategic role of universities in shaping international policymaking. The research method is descriptive-analytical and data were collected in the field from 228 professors of Kabul, Herat and Mazar-e-Sharif universities. The dependent variable of the study is “the position of the university in foreign policy” and eight independent variables include structural, political and institutional factors. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression in SPSS software. The findings show that among the variables, “lack of appropriate theory in the field of foreign policy” and “financial problems and lack of budget of universities” have the highest correlation and significant effect with the dependent variable (r=0.689 and r=0.637, respectively, at a significance level of p<0.05). The multiple regression model also shows a high coefficient of determination (R²=0.75), which indicates its very high explanatory power. Accordingly, it can be concluded that the weak position of the university in Afghanistan's foreign policy is mainly due to the lack of priority given by political decision-makers to the university institution and the lack of a link between the diplomatic apparatus and the higher education institution.
Accordingly, strengthening university policy-oriented research, institutionalizing scientific diplomacy, and establishing joint cooperation mechanisms between the university and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are among the requirements for promoting the role of higher education in Afghanistan's foreign policy.

Keywords: Higher education, foreign policy, Afghanistan, science diplomacy, international policymaking