Innovation programmes to come up at 1,000 campuses in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 21 (IANS) Around 1,000 higher education institutions in Kerala will soon have a new programme aimed at scaling up student entrepreneurship and innovation.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led Kerala government has extended the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centres (IEDCs) programme implemented by the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) to all higher education institutions (HEIs) in the state.

The decision widens the scope of the IEDC programme, which initially covered universities, colleges and polytechnics, to all campuses under the Higher Education Department, based on a proposal submitted by the KSUM.

The government also issued a set of detailed guidelines regarding formation, structure, student and faculty participation and the role of HEIs in the implementation of the IEDC programme. The decision will enable all HEIs under the Higher Education Department to set up IEDCs, including in arts & science, engineering, polytechnics, music, law, fine arts, training, physical education and other colleges.

Noting that the scaling up of the IEDC programme will profoundly impact the state’s startup ecosystem, KSUM CEO Anoop Ambika said the project will open up immense opportunities for students to translate their ideas and skills into marketable products.

As per the guidelines, IEDC in each campus will be chaired by its principal, who can approve the activities based on the plan submitted by the nodal officer concerned. A faculty representative from each department has to be nominated by the Principal or HOD as a member of the institute’s IEDC council. A 10-member student executive committee has to be formed with two of them as lead members, of whom at least one should be a woman, to be entrusted with various responsibilities for the effective conduct of IEDCs.

In each campus, an area not exceeding 1,000 sqft has to be earmarked for IEDC with necessary infrastructure, and eventually upgrading these into LEAP Cowork spaces.

KSUM will award the best-performing IEDCs with grants for scaling up innovation and entrepreneurship activities. HEIs will offer elective courses, both minor and major grades, related to entrepreneurship and startup development, making them integral parts of the course curriculum. IEDCs can identify revenue generation models through alumni and CSR funds for their self-sustainability. They can also form micro funds to invest in early-stage startups and ideas.

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