About Professor Ahmad Jahed Mushtaq

This is Ahmad Jahed Mushtaq, senior lecturer, and dean at the school of journalism at AL-Beruni University, Afghanistan. I have done my master's studies at University Malaysia Pahang - UMP, Malaysia and Bachelor studies at Al-Beruni University, Afghanistan.

I have loved reading newspapers, magazines, and books since childhood. My passion began when my parents and siblings read novels/books at home. This goal has been my reason for past formal and informal studies. So, doing bachelor's and master's studies in Journalism has not been an accident since it was my first and foremost aspiration to become a good writer and research fellow. As a result, writing articles for the local newspapers and working as a reporter and editor of the Great Kapisa (Kapisa-e Buzorg) monthly newspaper was a starting point, while publishing journal papers and books was a subsequent achievement. I have also worked as the Editor in chief of Radio Bahar 89.8fm.

The reality of thirteen years of academic work experience has prepared me for academic activities and other difficult steps. Because I have significant experience in education, research, and academic activity. I have been teaching subjects such as research methodology, reporting, investigative reporting, and thesis writing since 2009. I am using Outcome Based Education - OBE and Students Centered Learning - SCL as my teaching method, which is an effective teaching method nowadays.

After I have been awarded a master's scholarship by the University Malaysia Pahang - UMP, I significantly improved my research abilities during this journey. My thesis was conducted on the Habits and Motives of Reading Newspaper among students. Due to a deep interest in my profession and motherland, I returned country and resumed instructing and researching in the Journalism faculty of AL-Beruni University after earning my master's degree. Following I was appointed as the deputy dean of the aforementioned faculty. In the meantime, I participated in a research competition organized by the Higher Education Development Program - HEDP among all public government universities of Afghanistan and won an individual research project in 2017. It’s worth mentioning that I have published more than six journal papers as well as participated in some local, national, and international conferences. My first book titled “Culture of Reading Newspaper in Afghanistan” is the first book conducted on newspaper reading habits using mixed research methods in Afghanistan. One of my research article titled “The Effects of Social Media on the Undergraduate Student’s Academic Performances”, is cited more than 60 times so far. Also, I have translated a textbook from English to Persian called Investigative Journalism; from premise to publication written by Marcy Burstiner; an instructor at Humboldt University, USA.

Moreover, I have served as Peace Project Coordinator - PPC at AL-Beruni University for more than two years. During this duty, we have published four issues of academic journals titled “Armaghan Solh" meaning peace gift, twice a year which covered lecturers' research papers on peace building and conflicts resolution in an academic environment as well as printed several issues of students bimonthly on the same topic. Besides, we have organized workshops, conferences, and other activities inside and outside the university for the students and lecturers on peacebuilding and conflict resolution. Based on these achievements, I have been appointed as the Academic Vice Chancellor –AVC at AL-Beruni University.

I have served in this position (AVC) for more than two years and got great achievements for the university in terms of training, Research, Planning, Quality Assurance, and Accreditation i.e. AL-Beruni University promoted from the third stage of accreditation to the second stage as well as second strategic plan of the university was approved by the higher education board in this period. In the meantime, I have chaired some committees such as research, quality assurance, curriculum, strategic plan, and academic promotions committees. I’m also a member of the University national assembly and AL-Beruni International Journal of Social Sciences editorial board. I have reviewed some papers from other journals i.e., Philosophy and Practice (E-Journal), International Journal of Political Science and Development, Asian Journal of Research in Computer Science, and International Journal of Advances in Research.

Currently, he is working as the dean of Journalism faculty at Al-Beruni University, Afghanistan