Kerala to launch portal to connect higher education institutions with scholars from US, UK, Japan, UAE

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A digital platform, aimed at institutionalising academic collaboration between Kerala's higher education institutions and scholars of state origin working across the world, will be launched here on February 11 by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, officials said. Titled 'Scholar Connect', the portal is designed by the Kerala State Higher Education Council (KSHEC).

The CM would launch the platform at a function to be held at the Government College for Women here and the portal can be accessed at https:cholarconnect.kshec.org, an official statement said on Sunday. According to KSHEC, the Scholar Connect seeks to transform Kerala's globally dispersed academic diaspora into a structured and sustained contributor to the state's higher education ecosystem.

Kerala is the first state in the country to institutionalise diaspora academic engagement through a dedicated digital platform, they said. The initiative provides a single integrated space for academic mentorship , guest lectures, visiting professorships, curriculum enrichment, joint research initiatives and long-term institutional partnerships, the statement further said.

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What is Scholar Connect's Virtual Mentorship module?

It supports both virtual and in-person modes of engagement, enabling continuity irrespective of geographical constraints. Scholars from several countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Australia, the Netherlands, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Hong Kong (SAR), Germany and Sweden, have already registered on the platform, reflecting strong global interest, it said.

A key feature of the portal is its Virtual Mentorship module, which allows faculty members in Kerala to post specific academic and research requirements such as syllabus benchmarking, research methodology support, grant writing, curriculum development and internationalisation strategies.

Diaspora scholars can respond based on expertise and availability, ensuring a demand-driven and outcome-oriented approach. The platform is guided by an international Advisory Board comprising eminent academic leaders from institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, Australia and France, while an Administrative Advisory Board based in Kerala ensures policy alignment.

Building on KSHEC's earlier Brain Gain programme, Scholar Connect is envisioned as a scalable model for global academic collaboration. In the long term, it is expected to expand into student exchanges, joint and dual degree programmes, credit transfer mechanisms and international research partnerships, the official statement added.