THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Governor Arif Mohammed Khan has given his assent to the Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology Bill, 2021, which was unanimously passed by the assembly last month. The legislation is intended to establish and incorporate a non-affiliating research and teaching university to facilitate and promote studies, research, incubation and knowledge extension work in digital technologies and its application domains.
With the Act coming into effect, the transformation of the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management-Kerala (IIITM-K) to the Digital University Kerala (DUK) has been accomplished. It was through the Governor’s address to the assembly on January 22, 2018, that the government unveiled its plan to upgrade IIITM-K as a prominent centre for research and education in the field of the latest technologies. This was also announced in the budget speech in February 2018.
Following this, the Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology ordinance was promulgated in January 2020. To address the growing demand for skilled candidates for the fourth industrial revolution, the state government had officially inaugurated DUK on the Technocity campus in February this year.
With a strong innovation cluster, latest facilities and renowned faculty, the Digital University Kerala has started admissions to its master programmes in cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Cyber Security, Internet of Things etc. The DUK has AICTE-approved MTech courses and MSc courses and PhD programmes approved by UGC.
The courses are conducted under its five schools - School of Computer Science and Engineering, Electronic Systems and Automation, Informatics, Digital Sciences and Digital Humanities and Liberal Arts. It has a range of innovation centres and centres of excellence such as Maker Village, Kerala Blockchain Academy, Centre of Excellence in Intelligent IoT sensors and thingQbator.
Specially-designed courses
The courses are designed to allow students to understand and identify real-world problems and find solutions through innovations.