Kerala to launch ‘Scholar Connect’ platform for diaspora academic engagement

Kerala will launch Scholar Connect, a dedicated digital platform to link the State’s higher education institutions with its global academic diaspora.

The initiative, developed by the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC), is envisioned as a national first in institutionalising diaspora academic engagement through a dedicated digital system. The platform (https://scholarconnect.kshec.org/) provides an integrated space for mentorship, guest lectures, visiting professorships, curriculum development, joint research and long-term institutional partnerships.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will formally inaugurate the portal on Wednesday at the National Research Conference that is under way at the Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram.

Ahead of its official launch, the programme has already attracted over a hundred diaspora experts representing around 20 countries including the U.S., U.K., Australia, Germany, Japan, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, KSHEC sources said.

Many participants are affiliated with globally recognised institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Queen Mary University of London, Clemson University, Tokyo Metropolitan University as well as leading European research institutes.

Notably, the initiative spans a wide disciplinary spectrum, with participating scholars drawn from research-intensive universities, health science centres, technology-focussed institutions and public policy organisations.

Virtual mentorship

Notably, a central component of the platform is its demand-driven virtual mentorship system through which faculty members in Kerala can post clearly defined academic and research needs in order to receive guidance from diaspora experts. These could range from syllabus benchmarking and research methodology support to grant writing, digital pedagogy, interdisciplinary programme design and internationalisation strategies, sources point out.

The portal also enables institutions to identify suitable scholars through verified profiles, schedule engagements, manage logistics and document outcomes. The KSHEC will act as a coordinating and quality-assurance body to ensure credibility and accountability.

A distinguished international advisory board comprising academic leaders from institutions in the U.S., U.K., Singapore, Canada, Australia and France is in place to ensure the sustained diaspora engagement.

In the longer term, Scholar Connect is expected to expand into student exchanges, joint and dual degree programmes, credit transfer mechanisms and broader international research partnerships.