IT/ICT Directorate

ICT Center Services

Vision:

1. Establishing a high-quality technology system.

2. Aligning information technology with standardized systems.

3. Promoting and expanding the IT system.

4. Enhancing and expanding a standard university-level website.

5. Maintaining a well-organized university-level database.

6. Strengthening IT both globally and within the university's development.

7. Establishing a well-structured ICT center to bring transformative change in students’ learning.

Mission:

1. Uploading information to the university’s modern website based on needs, with updates and modifications as required.

2. Making systematic and organized changes to the database based on documentation needs.

3. Implementing security policies on the website and database to ensure protection.

4. Organizing ICT workshops to enhance staff capacity in managing the updated database, website, and digital library.

5. Arranging video conferences to receive guidance from senior officials through virtual meetings with the center and other academic institutions.

6. Advancing the system and making necessary changes to the database.

📖 Introduction

Throughout history, humans have pursued knowledge to achieve excellence. As a result, technology has emerged across all scientific and economic sectors, improving human life in various dimensions.

Since the second half of the 20th century, following the end of the industrial age, rapid scientific and technological advancements began. The arrival of computer technology revolutionized human life. Later, the integration of information and communication waves connected people through telecommunication technologies like telephony. These powerful technologies merged with television capabilities, creating one of humanity’s greatest technological achievements.

The vast web of communication and information—known as the internet—has rapidly transformed all aspects of human life. This digital transformation brings unprecedented opportunities, challenges, hopes, and fears. The digital age is a disruptive era where individuals shape themselves and create new lifestyles, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Technology supports the growth of various industries and businesses, offering better opportunities to consumers across all sectors. While economics deals with the production and distribution of goods, technology is often considered an "external" factor—outside the framework of economic theory.

Today, most technologies originate from research, and numerous research centers have been established worldwide. Technology means maximizing the use of minimal existing resources. Therefore, our country must take steps to establish and support scientific and research institutions and allocate funding for this purpose.

Technology is broadly defined as a collection of information, tools, and techniques derived from practical science and experience, used in the development, design, production, and deployment of products, processes, systems, and services.

🌍 Technology and National Development

Our country can learn from the development of industrial and newly industrialized nations, especially those in East Asia and Latin America. Their experiences show that by adopting and utilizing modern and appropriate technologies, we can increase production, reduce costs across political, social, and economic sectors, and accelerate national development.

For example, our country can study the experiences of South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brazil, and Mexico. With proper importation and management of foreign technologies, we can positively impact national progress.

However, a key consideration is the evaluation of internal and external factors. Internal elements such as national will and commitment to development have improved in recent years. Yet, factors like security and governance can weaken this resolve. If there is a strong will to move forward, and planning and investment align with this principle, the government can implement infrastructure programs accordingly.

Internal factors that influence technology availability positively affect national growth. External factors include the presence and increase of foreign direct investment (FDI), which can enhance the technology transfer process.

Factors affecting FDI include investment security, transportation costs, market size, and infrastructure availability. Each can either increase or decrease FDI, thereby influencing technology inflow. Therefore, the government and citizens must strengthen these factors to boost FDI, which has declined in recent years. Introducing technology and its positive impact on development can accelerate national progress.

📈 Technology for Economic Growth

A country that uses modern technology in domestic production can achieve cost-effective manufacturing and rely on this advantage to export products. Based on this principle, our country can experience efficient production and expand its share in foreign markets.

For instance, we can increase output in low-agriculture businesses and reduce production costs in the agricultural sector, which dominates our export portfolio. This would enhance our share in global markets, increase foreign currency inflows, and take strong steps toward national development.

In summary, using technology across economic, political, and social sectors allows us to create efficient resources and reduce costs. The influencing factors must be considered carefully.

👥 Human Resources and ICT

The most vital source of power and foundation for development is the scale and quality of human resources capable of meeting modern technological demands, facilitating economic growth, and creating opportunities.

Due to the importance of this issue in today’s global economy, developed countries strive to attract and retain skilled professionals who are often trapped in poor and underdeveloped nations. These countries invest in facilities to maximize the use of such talent.

On the other hand, highlighting the role of advanced human resources as the foundation of development—especially in economic sectors—encourages underdeveloped nations to implement human development strategies and expand ICT usage.

One of the primary choices in understanding this process is recognizing the mutual impact between human resource development and communication. This interaction is now undeniable. Through rapid and accurate information exchange enabled by technology, dramatic changes have occurred in human resource development.

Social scientists in communication and development have concluded that one of the major drivers of change in society is the expansion of communication technologies across sectors. Some even believe that communication technology plays a leading role in human resource development in advanced societies and continues to do so. For third-world countries, the fastest and shortest path to development is to provide platforms and conditions for this technology.

📚 Learning to Use Digital Books

Many schools have now digitized their classrooms, encouraging students to submit exams, homework, and assignments using information technology. Teachers motivate students to use electronic books for reading lectures. These digital books can be read conveniently anywhere—on trains or at home—and this advancement plays a significant role in environmental protection.

💡 What Is Technology?

By the end of the 20th century, the importance of technology was widely recognized, but the key question remains: What is technology really? Without a clear definition, discussions in science, technology, and society become meaningless. This article explores various uses of the term "technology."

A comprehensive definition of technology is: “A collection of information, tools, and techniques derived from practical science and experience, used in the development, design, production, and deployment of products, processes, systems, and services.” (Abbott, 1989)

Wikipedia defines technology as the use of tools, devices, materials, and processes to solve human problems. This definition highlights key concepts related to technology and their role in competition.

🌐 What Is the Internet?

This article aims to explain the history and applications of the internet in simple terms.

The internet is a network connecting millions of computers worldwide. These computers may belong to large companies or be personal devices used at home. The internet facilitates information exchange in various forms. Through email, users can send letters and files. Forums allow people to discuss specific topics, and chat enables real-time text communication.

Additionally, users can buy books or find jobs online. While browsing, one may encounter both helpful and undesirable content.

🕰️ How Did the Internet Begin?

In the late 1960s, during the Cold War, the U.S. government sought a way to maintain communication lines during a nuclear attack. Previously, message transmission relied on control centers, and if one was bombed, the entire network would collapse. As a result, the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) decided to create a decentralized computer network. In the early 1990s, the ARPA network evolved into the internet.

🖥️ What Is an ISP?

An ISP (Internet Service Provider) is a company that gives users access to the internet, email, and other services. The central computer in an ISP is called a server, which provides data to other computers.

Your home or office computer connects to the ISP via a modem, which is the device that links you to the internet. Millions of computers are connected to ISPs for business or personal use. It's important to note that the internet has no central control center.

💻 What Is IT?

IT (Information Technology) refers to the industry of managing information using computers, networks, software, and other tools. In large companies, IT management includes computers, DBMS (Database Management Systems), servers, and mechanisms for storing, processing, retrieving, and securing data.

📺 What Is ICT?

ICT (Information and Communication Technology) is a widely used term in educational contexts. Although there is no universally accepted definition, ICT refers to the use of digital technologies such as computers, television, and email to manage information for individuals or organizations.

ICT is often seen as a broader synonym for IT. It includes media streaming, audio/video processing, telephony, and communication technologies. The term ICT was first defined in 1997 by Dennis Stevenson in a report to the UK government. Recently, ICT has come to refer to the integration of computer networks with telephone and video networks, saving significant costs by eliminating traditional phone systems.

🔍 Difference Between IT and ICT

IT focuses on managing information using computers, networks, and software, while ICT encompasses media broadcasting, audio/video processing, telephony, and communication technologies in addition to IT.

ICT is commonly used in education, whereas IT is widely used in industry. ICT also refers to the integration of computer networks with telephone and video systems. In simple terms, ICT can be seen as the fusion of information technology with communication systems.

ICT emphasizes the integration of computers, enterprise software, and communication systems (telephone lines and wireless signals), enabling users to access, store, transmit, and modify data. It also refers to the merging of voice, video, and communication networks through a unified system, offering significant economic benefits.

Although ICT lacks a global definition, its concepts, methods, and applications evolve daily. ICT includes any product that is stored, retrieved, modified, or transmitted electronically—examples include personal computers, digital TVs, emails, and robots. To clarify this, Zopopo created an ICT classification that covers technologies facilitating data transfer and electronic communication. In the 21st century, ICT skills are considered essential for professionals in the field.

📖 Role of Digital Resources in Research

In the past, researchers had to visit libraries to access sources, search through books, and cite journals. Today, digital resources have made research easier and are recognized as vital tools.

For example, the search feature in digital resources is unmatched by paper sources. A researcher can search a phrase across thousands of books and journals in seconds, with results sorted by relevance or publication date. In contrast, paper-based research requires manual searching through each book or journal.

Digital resources simplify access to materials and reduce the cost and time associated with producing paper-based journals. Researchers can publish findings online at low cost and in less time. Many older sources now have digital versions that are easier to use than paper copies.

Digital resources also offer transport convenience and access to art. For instance, an Islamic scholar with library software like “Fiqh Scholar” or a university professor can conduct research from anywhere. If these resources are online, researchers can access databases from around the world at low cost. For example, Questia Digital Library (www.questia.com) offers access to over 500,000 academic sources, including books and articles.

🎥 Video Conferencing Systems

There are various types of video conferencing systems available in the market for personal or general use. To find the best video conferencing software for your business needs, you must become familiar with the types of systems available.

Like many virtual learning tools, video conferencing systems are software designed for distance and online education. Today, online teaching, virtual classrooms, and learning management websites are essential tools.

Video and web conferencing are widely used in online meetings, virtual education, and distance learning. These systems are now extensively used for online training sessions and corporate meetings. Web conferencing has also gained attention due to its cost-saving benefits.

💾 Digital Resources

Digital resources are materials originally offered in digital format and do not exist in print. Today, many digital books and journals are available on CDs or the internet. For example, the “Noor al-Hikma” software includes Islamic philosophy content used by scholars, but the way this content is listed and presented in the software is not published in any book. In such cases—despite the challenges of citing digital sources—researchers must document the software directly in their research papers, following the standards for citing URLs. The same applies if a researcher writes a story on a website.

One growing concern is the high rate of changes in databases. Reliable and active databases are updated daily or even hourly. Therefore, researchers must also specify the date they accessed the article in the database.

Some sources were originally published in print and are now marketed as electronic versions. In these cases, the primary reference is the printed version, and the digital version is only for convenience. The software does not present a new format but retains the original structure. Researchers must obtain a copy of the original source and cite it accordingly, noting that the software is only a hosting platform.

📚 Use of Information Technology in Libraries

Information Technology (IT) refers to technologies that provide the necessary facilities for collecting, processing, and distributing information. Its core components are computers and telecommunications. Computers primarily process and store data, while telecommunications handle the transmission and distribution of this data.

Technology is a human achievement that plays a vital role in shaping culture and civilization. Every aspect of human life is influenced by technology—including libraries. Specialized libraries and general ones have grown significantly due to paper production and mobile printing technologies. Technology affects all aspects of library operations and is a key factor in developing professional libraries. Its goal is to enhance human capacity to access accurate information.

Computer technology was introduced in libraries because of its ability to store large volumes of data. This led to the development of databases and online search systems, managed by computer or library network specialists. The internet brought computers into the realm of human communication, leading to concepts like the global village and virtual libraries.

Technology has transformed libraries and information centers by offering:

• Speed and memory capacity
• Computer-assisted data preparation, storage, and retrieval
• Human resource savings
• Added value creation
• Flexibility to meet diverse needs
• Integrated access to information
• Easy access to other libraries and databases
• Quick and easy data updates and editing
• Sharing of online resources

IT in libraries serves two main categories:

1. Core library functions: Collection, cataloging, lending, and serial control
2. Information services: Current awareness, selective dissemination of information, reference services, online services, document delivery, and more

🧑‍🎓 Student Information System (SIS)

This software organizes student records. Through it, a teacher can access all information about a student, such as attendance reports, semester grades, enrolled courses, full biography, medical reports, dormitory details, and more.

It is a vital system that operates both on internal networks and the internet. Access is provided through the university website. Each student must have an ID and password to access their personal page. The system is maintained by the university’s IT department. Importantly, no one other than the assigned teacher can access a student’s information.

Key Features of the SIS:

1. Student biography
2. Enrollment process details for new students
3. Course schedules
4. Exam results
5. Credit hours per course
6. Attendance and absence reports
7. Appointment scheduling with instructors
8. Student discipline records
9. Dormitory reports
10. Medical reports
11. Reports for parents

📋 ICT Directorate: Planned Duties and Daily Operations

1. Providing high-quality technology services to improve academic, administrative, and teaching processes, and cooperating with university administration in this area.

2. Maintaining and developing standard systems related to the ICT Directorate; monitoring and safeguarding ICT equipment across all faculties; maintaining communication with faculties and departments for internet equipment upkeep; and ensuring care of ICT assets such as the ICT Center, Server Room, Training Room, and Power Room.

3. Regularly updating information on the university’s official website; preparing video conferencing equipment for all interactions with the Ministry of Higher Education; managing the electronic archive (sending and receiving emails and executing them promptly); and keeping it active.

4. Properly organizing the internet provided by Afghan Telecom to the university through the Ministry of Higher Education.

5. In collaboration with the Computer Science Faculty and other departments, creating a structured database in the university’s Server Room, accessible locally across all faculties; sharing the database design with the Computer Science Faculty.

6. Activating another ICT Center in the new building of the Sharia Faculty, which houses four faculties, in addition to the existing ICT Center.

7. Officially sharing links received from various institutions for online resources (digital libraries) with all faculties and printing them as banners in the ICT Center for use by professors, staff, and students.

8. Activating a storage server in the ICT Center to digitally store books available in the university’s general library, allowing faculty, staff, and students to download them across departments.

9. Ensuring the ICT Directorate and related centers have proper inventory, cleaning staff, and a complete organizational structure.

10. Providing conditions and tools for e-learning to professors, staff, and students; offering individual support in this area.

11. Making the ICT Center and internet available for workshops, seminars, training sessions, and e-learning for professors, staff, and students.

12. Constructing a fully equipped two-story building for the ICT Directorate and ICT Center, including a computer lab with all necessary tools for training, workshops, and conferences.

🏛️ History of the ICT Directorate

The ICT Center at Sheikh Zayed University was established in 2018 (1397 Hijri) with financial support from the World Bank and through the Ministry of Higher Education’s HEDP program. The project cost approximately 43 million Afghanis and is currently operating normally.

This center is equipped with modern tools and technologies. Its technical design was developed by professors from the Computer Science Faculty, staff from the ICT Directorate, and specialists from the Ministry of Higher Education’s development program. The center includes a computer lab, training room, server room, and power room. Solar power was provided by the supporting institution, ensuring 24-hour electricity.

Most seminars, workshops, and training sessions at Sheikh Zayed University are held in this center, which is equipped with electric projectors and other advanced tools. The center is located within the library building, offering a quiet and suitable environment.

Every day, many students use the center to complete assignments and conduct research. The university receives 155 Mbps internet from Afghan Telecom via the Ministry of Higher Education. Since 2025 (1404 Hijri), the ICT Directorate has upgraded the bandwidth to 170 Mbps. The ICT Center is connected to this network, and all university blocks—including academic, administrative, medical, girls’ and boys’ dormitories, and the agricultural farm—have active internet access.

Professors use the internet for research, and staff use it for administrative tasks. Many faculty members and staff visit the ICT Center for internet access, which has resolved many academic and administrative challenges.

Students unfamiliar with new technologies receive training from ICT Center staff. Most students and staff seek individual assistance.

📜 ICT Center Usage Policy

To ensure proper use of all ICT Center resources, the following policies are enforced:

1. All users (staff, professors, students) must wear their university ID and complete academic tasks within the scheduled time.

2. Internet users must register in a designated list and provide accurate information.

3. Avoid loud phone calls or conversations with others inside the computer lab.

4. Refrain from playing loud videos, meaningless or humorous content, and music; focus on academic topics.

5. Avoid accessing Facebook or unethical websites; use academic websites only.

6. Report any technical issues to ICT staff; if flash drives, phones, or other devices are found, hand them over to staff.

7. Do not install or uninstall software without permission; contact ICT staff if needed.

8. Handle all equipment (desks, chairs, computers, etc.) with care.

9. Do not bring personal computers, bags, or other items into the lab; store them in designated lockers.

10. Avoid playing videos or music on mobile phones inside the lab; use the center’s computers.

11. Any violation of Ministry of Higher Education laws, regulations, or procedures using ICT computers will be reported to relevant authorities.

12. Maintain cleanliness; all activities are monitored by security cameras.

✅ Approval

The ICT Directorate’s development plan and policy were approved by the university’s academic council under Protocol No. 4 on 28/08/1398 (November 2019) by majority vote.

ICT general Directorate