Biography of the Head of the English Department

Professor Abdul Jalil Kahdistani, one of the distinguished scientific and academic figures of the country, was born in the month of Saratan (July) 1349 Hijri Solar in the village of Kahdistani, Injil District (currently District 11) of Herat Province. He completed his primary education in Herat Province and successfully finished his high school education at Naderia High School in Kabul.

In 1368 (1989), he was admitted to Kabul University. After completing one semester in the Faculty of Economics, he received a scholarship from Kabul University and traveled to Pyatigorsk, Russian Federation. There, he changed his field of study and enrolled in the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Pyatigorsk State Linguistic University, where he successfully earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature and a Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TESOL).

Professor Kahdistani returned to Afghanistan in 1374 (1995) and began his academic and teaching career at Herat University. In 2000, he transferred from Herat to Kabul and has since continuously taught various subjects in the Department of English at Kabul University of Education.

Over more than 27 years of scientific and academic service, he has published at least twenty scholarly articles in reputable national journals and four articles in international journals. In addition, he has authored five textbooks entitled Translation Skills (Volumes I and II), Fundamentals of Literature, American Literature, and British Literature. These works are taught in the English departments of most universities across the country.

In 1991, Professor Abdul Jalil Kahdistani attained the academic rank of Professor (Pohand) through the authorship of three scholarly books. Since then, alongside teaching, he has played a significant role in the training, development, and mentorship of young academic staff and has made valuable contributions to strengthening academic capacity. He has also played a key and decisive role in the establishment and development of the Master’s Program in English (TESOL).

In addition to his mother tongue, Professor Kahdistani is fully proficient in English, Russian, and the national language Pashto. Alongside his Master’s degree, he also holds a diploma in Journalism. Moreover, he has participated in at least thirty national and international workshops.