Kerala is considering formulating a policy that would foster greater inter-university cooperation by pooling in research capabilities.
The government has also set its sights on identifying the strong suit of each university in terms of research facilities to provide a distinctive characteristic for each.
Prime focus is being accorded in establishing translational research centres in 10 universities, each of which have been allocated ₹20 crore in the State Budget. The Budget had also proposed setting up start-ups and incubation centres along with the translational research centres.
Consultative meetings that are under way to implement the ambitious Budget proposals on higher education and skill development have decided to identify a variety of emerging disciplines that could be adopted by the proposed laboratories. While each centre will focus on unique areas of study, the facilities will be shared by the universities.
“Such efforts are meant to ensure an optimum usage of resources and enable researchers to utilise the facilities of universities other than their parent one. The government will also be able to channelise funds to acquire state-of-the-art equipment, while minimising investments on similar facilities that lie scattered across the State,” an official said.
Higher Education Minister R. Bindu and Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal advocated the need to foster an ‘ease of doing education’ in the State by freeing universities from the rigidity that has impeded academic progress during a conclave organised by the Kerala State Higher Education Council here on Thursday.
Project implementation
With the government deciding to implement many of the proposed projects in universities through agencies such K-DISC and ASAP Kerala, monitoring mechanisms will be formed both at the State and the university levels. Special officers could also be appointed to coordinate the activities of the universities and agencies.
The other proposals being fast-tracked include short-term and postgraduate courses that will be introduced under project mode. Each university will launch three courses from a batch of shortlisted academic programmes in emerging areas. These will be run with a certain degree of flexibility to enable universities to update syllabi or cancel the course in tune with changing times.
