Al-Azhar, one of the world’s oldest universities and one of the most prestigious places for Islamic study, plans to open campuses in Afghanistan in the western city of Herat and eastern city of Jalalabad, reports Pajhwok Afghan News. The 1,000-year-old Egyptian university will award 200 scholarships to Afghan students every year. The announcement followed a recent visit to Egypt by the Afghan education minister. Governemnt officials hope that by opening these branches, there will be a better alternative for Afghans pursuing religious studies than the madrassas in the country, which offer a strict interpretation of Islam and have been accused of supporting the Taliban.