ALPA College Team Representing Afghanistan at the Jessup International Rounds

April 12, 2026

The participation of the Ali Shir Nawaee team from ALPA College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in the international rounds of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition (March 28-April 4) was a remarkable achievement for both the team and for Afghanistan. At a time when Afghan students continue to face severe barriers to education, training, and international mobility, the team’s presence in one of the world’s most prestigious moot court competitions showed not only academic excellence, but also determination, discipline, and resilience.

Because the Afghan team was not permitted to travel to the United States, the Ali Shir Nawaee team participated online rather than in person. This limitation, however, did not diminish the importance of their achievement. On the contrary, it made their participation even more meaningful. While many teams benefit from stable academic institutions, physical access to competition venues, and extensive legal resources, the Ali Shir Nawaee team had to prepare and compete under far more difficult conditions. Even so, they represented Afghanistan with dignity and professionalism.

The team competed against several prominent and highly respected institutions from around the world. Their opponents included Teams from, the University of Sydney in Australia, University of Vienna in Austria, University of Malaya in Malaysia, and a university from Germany. These are teams associated with universities that have strong academic traditions and well resourced. All these teams participated in person. Competing against such institutions placed ALPA College on a truly global stage.

What makes this participation especially important is that Jessup is not simply a competition. It is an intense academic exercise that requires months of training in international law, legal writing, research, and oral advocacy. To reach the international rounds is to demonstrate a high level of legal skill and intellectual commitment. For Afghan students competing under present circumstances, that accomplishment carries even greater weight. The Ali Shir Nawaee team’s participation reflected not only their own talent and hard work, but also the broader promise of Afghan students who continue to pursue excellence despite enormous obstacles.

Their presence at the international rounds also reflected the larger mission of ALPA College. The college has worked to create educational opportunities for Afghan students in a period when access to formal higher education has become deeply restricted. The Ali Shir Nawaee team stands as an example of what becomes possible when students are given serious academic training, careful mentorship, and a chance to test themselves in an international setting. Their participation was therefore not only a matter of individual success, but also a sign of what Afghan academic institutions in exile can still achieve.

The Ali Shir Nawaee team represented Afghanistan with honor. Even from a distance, and even through an online format imposed by circumstances beyond their control, they demonstrated that Afghan students remain capable of competing at the highest levels of legal education. Their achievement deserves recognition not only because they participated, but because they did so with strength, skill, and a clear sense of purpose.