The higher education department of Odisha has recently approved a proposal to establish six new centres of excellence (CoEs) across five public universities in the state, with a total investment of Rs 26 crore. This initiative aims to promote advanced research in emerging and socially relevant fields while creating opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Details of the New Centres
Rama Devi Women's University will set up a CoE for microbial research for sustainable development, with an investment of Rs 3.75 crore. Sambalpur University has been allocated Rs 5.85 crore for a centre focused on translational research in natural products.
Gangadhar Meher University will host two centres of excellence. One will focus on nano science and energy storage with a budget of Rs 3.75 crore, while the other will be a DDU centre for public policy and governance, with an allocation of Rs 1.55 crore.
Utkal University will establish a centre on brain health and neurodegenerative disorders for Rs 5.85 crore. Fakir Mohan University will set up a centre dedicated to smart materials and thin films with an investment of Rs 5.25 crore.
Objectives and Impact
Officials stated that these centres of excellence will provide advanced infrastructure, encourage collaboration among researchers and institutions, and help position the state's public universities as leading centres of research and knowledge creation. Currently, there are 22 CoEs across eight state public universities, most of which were established under the World Bank-supported Odisha Higher Education Programme for Excellence and Equity (OHEPEE). These centres were set up at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore each.
At these CoEs, research fellows and faculty members have been undertaking Odisha-centric applied research in the fields of natural sciences, engineering, humanities, and social sciences. Operating under the guidance of the Odisha State Higher Education Council and the higher education department, these centres have generated more than 1,000 patents, excluding those currently at the application stage.
Government's Vision
Officials said the government's focus is on transforming public universities into research-intensive institutions. Besides, the ongoing recruitment of faculty members is expected to further strengthen research output in the coming years.
