THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to raise the quality of higher education in the state, the state government will soon launch seven ‘centres of excellence’ to promote cutting-edge research of international standards.
Higher Education Minister R Bindu told reporters on Monday that the proposed centres would be set up in the domains of science and technology, social science, language, and culture. “A sum of Rs 11.4 crore has been earmarked this year for the seven centres,” she said.
The seven centres are Centre of Excellence for Teaching, Learning and Training; Kerala Institute for Science, Technology, and Innovation (KISTI); Kerala Institute of Advanced Studies (KIAS); Kerala Network for Research-Support in Higher Education (KNRSHE); Centre for Indigenous People’s Education (CIPE); Kerala Institute for Gender Equality and the Kerala Language Network.
The centres will have the best faculty members, researchers, students, and industry representatives. In addition to the director, a five-member core academic team will be set up in each centre. There will also be a team of doctoral and post-doctoral students. The plan is to set up these centres on the premises of universities for better academic collaboration.
‘Scheme to make state major hub of education’
The minister announced the launch of the ‘Study in Kerala’ programme that aims to make the state a major hub of higher education, mainly for students from abroad. Under the programme, foreign students would be hosted in select institutions in the state by offering innovative courses. According to the minister, non-degree courses on the state’s art forms, indigenous knowledge, tourism and culinary tradition will be introduced for international students. The minister also announced the decision to hold a higher education conclave later in the year as a continuation of the comprehensive reforms being implemented by the government in education sector. The conclave would be hosted jointly by various higher education institutions during the November-December period, the minister added.