Kerala to set up global Academic City

It mulls places like Kariavattam campus of Kerala University, Knowledge city at Thiruvananthapuram and Calicut University campus at Thenjippalam in Malappuram district

The Kerala government has decided to start a Global Academic City in line with the Dubai Academic City for higher education. Though the government is yet to decide on the location, it is considering places like Kariavattam campus of Kerala University, near Thiruvananthapuram, Knowledge city at Thiruvananthapuram and Calicut University campus at Thenjippalam in Malappuram district.

The proposed city will have an administrative authority, Academic City Regulatory Authority (ACRA), under the Higher Education department of the state and also a public limited company - International City of Kerala Limited - in line with Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) with public and private participation, for raising fund for the purpose.

The state government will have a 26 per cent stake in the company. ACRA will have seven experts, including a chairman who will be an eminent academic expert, chief minister Oommen Chandy said. Apart from this, an International Academic Advisory Council will be constituted to advise the city in academic exercise.

An expert committee appointed by the government has submitted its report in this regard and the government approved the report. The report proposes to convene a global education meet every year to propagate the activities of the academic city.

Road shows should be organised abroad to promote the city in line with the market initiatives by the state tourism department.

Briefing about the city, Chandy said 43,000 students from 137 countries across the world were studying in Dubai Academic City. Educational programmes, some 400-plus, are carried out here in the 1.8 million sft built up area.

Kerala government also proposes to set up a city like this that attracts students from across the world.