KOCHI: Minister for Education C. Ravindranath on Sunday said the higher education sector would be restructured with special focus on setting up highly sophisticated research labs and well-equipped libraries.
Inaugurating a seminar as part of a five-day workshop on Innovations in Research Awareness, organised by the department of physics, Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat), the Minister said the government had already initiated steps in this regard.
He said universities were known for their academic excellence and called upon teachers to constantly motivate students to undertake innovative research activities.
He announced that the government had decided to institute the Kairali Research Award for the best researcher in the State. The award will be given away in the current year.
Mr. Ravindranath suggested that each university in the State publish science journals on a par with international publications. “Instead of trying to make profits by turning research products into market products, researchers should use them to raise the standard of living of people. In fact, there is a dearth of genuine researches nowadays, which is not a good trend,” the Minister observed.
He said the proposed research centre to be set up at Cusat would be of global standards and added that the government would offer all help to turn the varsity into one of the best research-oriented universities in the world.
V.K. Ibrahim Kunju, MLA, presided over the function. Paulose Jacob, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Cusat; M. K. Jayaraj, Syndicate member; Juanaid Bushiri, head of the department of physics, and Prof. S. Lakshmi, programme convener, spoke.
