
In a significant move towards advancing the higher education sector, the state government has initiated steps to establish a Centre of Excellence at Mahatma Gandhi University by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The MoU was handed over to university representatives by Dr. Rajan Gurukkal, Vice Chairman of the Kerala State Higher Education Council, in the presence of Higher Education Minister Dr. R. Bindu, during a ceremony held in Thiruvananthapuram.
The proposed Centre, to be set up under the Kerala State Higher Education Council, will focus on research and innovation in the fields of science, technology, and entrepreneurship and will be known as the Kerala Institute for Science, Technology, and Innovation.
Highlighting the importance of this initiative, the Minister stated that the Centre would play a vital role in fostering the state’s growth in science and technology. It aims to convert research outcomes in higher education into practical applications, including products and enterprises, while maximising entrepreneurial opportunities in collaboration with the industrial sector. Plans are also underway to establish partnerships at both national and international levels to broaden the Centre’s impact.
This initiative is part of the government’s phased approach to implementing the recommendations of the Higher Education Reforms Commission. In the first phase, the government has given administrative sanction to the establishment of seven Centres of Excellence, including one at M.G. University. Each Centre will focus on specific areas of study and operate as an autonomous institution, promoting specialised and independent research.
The ceremony was attended by Principal Secretary of the Higher Education Department Ishita Roy, Council Member Secretary Dr. Rajan Varghese, M.G. University Syndicate Members Dr. Joji Alex and Arun K. Sasheendran, and Dr. E.K. Radhakrishnan, the Coordinator for the Centre of Excellence.