The scheme of the University of Kerala to set up ‘schools of learning' by grouping together academic synergic departments has received the assent of the Governor and Chancellor of universities.
Reordering the 42 departments of Kerala's mother university under different schools will queer the pitch for trans-disciplinary learning, teaching, research and extensional activities. The academic and infrastructural facilities available in individual departments can be pooled and made available to a larger group of students. Redundancies, such as separate libraries, separate clerical staff and computer facilities, too can be avoided.
The building housing the Institute of Distance Education (IDE) on the Kariavattom campus of the University of Kerala will in all likelihood house the varsity's first school comprising the departments of commerce, management and law. The IDE, in turn, would be shifted to the three-storey building recently constructed near the Institute of English on the Palayam campus of the university.
Since it was never smooth sailing in this university for this project, all three administrative offices of the three departments are likely to be retained intact in the first school. The libraries of the three departments would be unified and the new library is likely to remain open for an extended period of time daily.
The vision statement published by the University of Kerala in January 2002 mooted 11 schools in different areas, including life sciences, physical sciences, business studies, fine arts, juridical sciences and medical sciences.
