The Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology (Digital University Kerala) has signed an agreement with the Universities of Manchester, Oxford and Edinburgh in the U.K. for cooperation in the field of graphene.
The memorandum of understanding MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Industries Minister P. Rajeev in the U.K. on Wednesday.
The Chief Minister said that Kerala had initiated measures to set up a graphene-based industrial park in the State. “Kerala has the first digital University in India. Our aim is to establish innovative industries that make optimum use of the latest technology. We had earlier convened a meet of entrepreneurs and researchers in Kerala for the purpose”.
“Our attempt is to build a global graphene-based ecosystem. The State government will extend help to such organisations that are into the development of nanotechnology and in innovative areas like graphene,” he said.
“By establishing centres of excellence, we hope to promote practical research activities and raise the bar of the higher education sector. Kerala has been providing special grants to post doctoral fellowships to encourage and support the research talents”.
Professor Andre Geim, who won the Nobel prize in 2010 for the discovery of graphene, was present on the occasion. He hailed Kerala’s efforts and said the thrust on graphene would help the State become a major industrial destination in the future.