The Higher Education Review

University of Kerala, formerly known as University of Travancore is the 16th University in India. It was established in 1937 by a promulgation of Maharaja of Travancore, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma. He was the first Chancellor of the University and Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar, the Diwan of state at that time, became the first Vice-Chancellor. During that period, there were ten colleges in Kerala which were affiliated to Madras University. After the inception of the University of Kerala, these colleges got new affiliation under the new university. Imparting education with a focus on access, equity, and social cause, the university is providing standard education that focuses on increasing research activities among the students to fulfill the societal needs and is striving to attain the status of a world-class institute through transformational learning and innovation keeping the needs of the masses at the core.

Unique Curriculum in Traditional Courses
The university curriculum offers a wide array of courses at Post Graduate, M.Phil. and Ph.D. levels. Considering contemporary and latest industrial development, the course curriculum is revised at least once in three years after taking feedbacks from professional bodies and policy-making agencies. Currently, the University of Kerala has 183 affiliated colleges under its name and 42 teaching and research departments under 11 schools that provide 100 percent funding for research scholars. The 183 affiliated colleges include 102 Arts and Science colleges (13 Government Colleges, 38 aided and 51 unaided institutions). There are six Law colleges (1 Government, 1 Private and 4 unaided), 49 Teach-ers' Training Colleges (one Government, six aided and 43 unaided), two Fine Arts Colleges (Government), one Music College (Government) and one College of Physical Education. More than 40 percent of the departments are supported by external funding agencies like UGC-SAP and FIST.

University of Kerala has excellent infrastructure and well-equipped research laboratories, astronomical observatory, publications division, own press, and socially integrated student support services. In order to encourage interdisciplinary research, the institute has a State-of-the-Art Sophisticated Instrumentation Centre with advanced equipments. As per digitalization of education, the university launched its first Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and this was yet another landmark achievement in 2017. "The support mechanism for research and innovations that we provide to our students are in the form of Research Council, Institution In-novation Cell and IPR Cell. Drawing from the best practices globally, we have a flagship scheme on 'Interaction with Eminent Scholars' to help the students grow and thereafter, we recognize the talented students through our initiatives like Talent Bank, Award for highest Project Funding and Best Thesis Award. Without the professors, it is impossible for the students to perform, thus, we have introduced Best Teaching Department award to showcase the professors' hard works," asserts Prof. V.P Mahadevan Pillai, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kerala. He continues, "We address employability and skilling issues by bridging skill gaps through Finishing School programs. In addition to this, we propose to associate with ASAP (Additional Skill Acquisition Programme) with an objective to make the students industry ready.

"University of Kerala wants to create a massive online learning channel with facilities for content creation, dissemination, training, and development"

A Place among the Bests
University of Kerala was reaccredited by NAAC with 'A' Grade in January 2015. It has won the first-ever Chancellor's Award for the best University in the state instituted by the Hon'ble Governor Justice P. Sathasivam in the year 2014-15. The university was ranked 22nd among the universities and 35th among Higher Education Institutions across the country under National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) of 2019. One of the distinguished achievements of the University in 2017was that they found a place in the world ranking of Universities and was placed in the 801 ­ 1000 band by Times Higher Education Network. The university has been host for the Indian History Congress, Indian Science Congress, Indian Commerce Association as well as the Indian Accounting Association and this has added another feather to the cap.

Students of the University of Kerala are also well known for extra-curricular activities. "We have a mega youth festival where 6000+ students participate in 100+ events. All our teaching departments have clubs like a literary club, skill acquisition club, media club, commerce club, etc. All these activities enhance the soft and hard skills of our students. These activities develop a competitive spirit among the students," explains Prof. Mahadevan. He further adds, "Not only extra-curricular activities describe our students' potential. We have associated with Kerala Start-Up mission on incubating business ideas and have a technology-based start-up center named KU-TBSC (Kerala University Technology Business Start-Up Centre). We have also collaborated with Institution Innovation Cell of MHRD and Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-DISC) for giving life to innovative ideas."

The Future Road Map
The roadmap of University of Kerala is designed to facilitate education through investments in infrastructure, sports, and student welfare programs. They want to take advantage of global as well as national support for research and innovation to convert teaching-learning facilities to technology-enabled learning systems, breaking boundaries of time and space.

University of Kerala wants to create a massive online learning channel with facilities for content creation, dissemination, training, and development. The university also plans to setup a human resources and skill development center ensuring brain gain and inward mobility of talent. With a bull's eye, the university is aiming to increase students' strength to 6000 and faculty strength to 600. Increasing funds to at least two percent from consultancies and providing support to students' start-ups is another story they want to illustrate in the coming future.

Dr. V. P. Mahadevan Pillai, Vice Chancellor
Before becoming the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mahadevan was a Professor in the Department of Optoelectronics at the University of Kerala. He joined the university in June 2001. During his tenure in the Optoelectronic Department, M.Phil and AICTE recognized M.Tech. were started. Gradually, the Department developed through intense research on diversified areas such as Nano photonics, Solar Energy Materials, Holography, Laser Remote Sensing and Laser Technology.