Kerala rolls out digital platform to connect diaspora scholars with universities

Kerala is set to roll out a new digital initiative to formally link its higher education institutions with scholars of Kerala origin working across the globe, officials said on Feb 8.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will launch the platform, titled Scholar Connect, on Feb 11 at a function at the Government College for Women. Developed by the Kerala State Higher Education Council, the portal will be accessible at scholarconnect.kshec.org.

According to KSHEC, the platform is intended to bring the state’s globally dispersed academic community into a structured framework that can consistently contribute to Kerala’s higher education system.

Officials said Kerala has become the first state in the country to institutionalize academic engagement with its diaspora through a dedicated digital platform.

The portal offers a unified space for academic mentorship, guest lectures, visiting professorships, curriculum development, joint research projects, and long-term institutional collaborations. It supports both virtual and in-person participation, allowing sustained engagement regardless of location.

KSHEC said scholars from several countries have already enrolled on the platform, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Hong Kong SAR, Germany, and Sweden, indicating strong international interest.

One of the central components of Scholar Connect is its Virtual Mentorship module. Through this feature, faculty members in Kerala can post specific academic or research needs such as syllabus benchmarking, research methodology guidance, grant writing support, curriculum design, and internationalization strategies.

Diaspora scholars can respond based on their expertise and availability, creating what officials described as a demand-driven and results-oriented system.

The initiative is overseen by an international Advisory Board comprising senior academic leaders from institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, Australia, and France. An Administrative Advisory Board based in Kerala will oversee policy coordination and implementation.

Building on KSHEC’s earlier Brain Gain program, Scholar Connect is designed as a scalable model for global academic collaboration.

In the future, officials said the platform is expected to expand to include student exchange programs, joint and dual degree offerings, credit transfer arrangements, and international research partnerships.