Kerala rolls out long-term research roadmap for higher education

The Kerala government on Monday released a comprehensive vision document aimed at strengthening research across the state’s higher education system, signalling a shift from teaching-led institutions to research-driven universities.

Unveiled by the Government of Kerala, the document lays out a strategic framework to improve research quality, boost funding access, and encourage collaboration between universities, industry, and public research bodies. The plan seeks to create a supportive ecosystem where faculty and students can pursue original research aligned with national and global priorities.

The vision document stresses the need for institutional autonomy in research planning, transparent evaluation mechanisms, and targeted investment in priority areas. It also calls for the creation of dedicated research clusters, shared laboratories, and interdisciplinary centres to reduce duplication and improve outcomes.

A key focus is on nurturing young researchers through structured doctoral and post-doctoral programmes, improved mentoring, and performance-linked incentives. The state also aims to help institutions attract competitive national and international grants by strengthening proposal support systems and administrative capacity.

Officials said the roadmap would guide policy decisions and funding allocations over the coming years, with periodic reviews to track progress. The broader goal, they added, is to position Kerala as a leading knowledge and research hub while ensuring that academic research contributes directly to social and economic development.

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