How Bhubaneswar's KIIT is fostering a culture of quality education and research

KIIT is just 23 years old as an institution for professional education (started in 1997) and 16 years old as a University (declared in 2004)
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology

With a diverse student body of about 30000, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar has become one of the most sought after universities of the country. Besides world-class academics that attracts students from all parts of India and over 53 countries, the university is known for its student-friendly culture anchored on the principles of compassion and humanity. Established in 1992-93 as a modest vocational training centre by eminent educationist and social activist Professor Achyuta Samanta, it took shape as an institute of higher learning in 1997, which is considered as the base year. Since then KIIT has grown exponentially, setting a high benchmark in each area of education.

KIIT is just 23 years old as an institution for professional education (started in 1997) and 16 years old as a University (declared in 2004). But, despite being a very young university, it has achieved impressive positions in various benchmark global university rankings, besides 'Institution of Eminence' recognition from the Govt. of India. 'Institution of Eminence' (IoE) is an ambitious scheme of the Government of India that seeks to develop 10 select universities each from the public and private sector into world-class teaching and research institutions. KIIT has been achieving an impressive position in international university rankings like QS and Times Higher Education (THE). 

KIIT's focus on quality academics and research are reflected in its accreditation in high grades by various national and international accreditation bodies. It was conferred 'A' category university status in 2015 by the Ministry of HRD, Government of India. It has been getting 'A' Grade from NAAC, the country's top accreditation body for higher education institutions, for three times in a row. B.Techprogrammes have got the coveted Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), UK accreditation, besides 'Tier 1' (Washington Accord) from the NBA. It has also been ranked among the top 24 universities by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) of the Government of India.

KIIT comprises 28 constituent schools imparting globally recognised bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programmes in 200 plus disciplines, spanning engineering, medicine, management, biotechnology, law and more. KIIT has a healthy student-to-faculty ratio, with 2500 faculty members offering a rigorous curriculum and access to varied learning opportunities and hands-on research. They are drawn from institutions of repute such as IITs, IIMs, XLRI, IISc, JNU, etc. Modern aids like wi-fi multimedia air-conditioned classrooms, virtual classrooms, video conferencing, state-of-the-art laboratories, etc. support the teaching-learning process.

Every programme is designed to ensure that students achieve the desired level of knowledge, skill and attitude specific to a particular area and domain. Potential employers, faculty, alumni and students are consulted regularly to update the course structure and curriculum. The objectives of each course and their sequential delivery are designed in such a way that the program outcome is achieved. A balanced mix of full-time and visiting faculty, classroom and lab/field-level learning, and internal and external assessment lead to the achievement of intended learning outcomes.

KIIT has implemented student-centred pedagogy, including project-based learning. This innovative approach involves an optimum combination of classroom lecture and innovative teaching pedagogy such as Live Industry Projects, Simulation Process, Role Play, Case Study Presentations, Seminars, Business Exercises, Group Discussions, Field Activities, Research Activities, Industrial Visits, Projects and Dissertations, Use of Reverse Teaching Methods, Tutor Mentor Scheme and 'Earn While You Learn' Scheme.

Research and innovation are important hallmarks of a world-class university. KIIT has placed much emphasis on creating enabling infrastructure and facilities for advanced research in diverse areas. It is among only seven institutions in India selected by Boeing India for its Boeing University Innovation Leadership Development (BUILD) programme to boost aerospace entrepreneurship. KIIT has been ranked 1st among self-financing institutions of India in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020, published by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.   

It has set up a Centre for Scientific Research with seed money of US$ 1.2 million, the only private University in the country to establish such a centre. It has also established a state-of-the-art Central Advanced Research Centre (CARC) on 1.2 lakh sq. ft. built-up area for multidisciplinary research. Apart from these sophisticated central research facilities, specialised laboratories have been established – some in collaboration with the industry and corporate bodies - in various schools. They provide ideal platforms for conducting collaborative research and development work with several partnering agencies and institutions around the world.

To promote innovation and startup entrepreneurship among students as well as in wider society, KIIT opened KIIT Technology Business Incubator (KIIT-TBI) in 2009.  KIIT-TBI is supported by Department of Science & Technology (DST), National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)) of Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Govt of India and others. It has so far incubated 260+ innovative startups out of which 87 have graduated out to set up full-scale commercial enterprises. DST, Govt of India awarded Centre of Excellence status to KIIT-TBI under the NIDHI scheme, focusing on digital health and precision agriculture.

To create a technology development platform for students and faculties, DST, Govt of India has established Technology Enabling Centre (TEC) at KIIT. This will help students and faculties to work on various problem statements under the mentorship of academia & industry experts

Research accomplishments of the faculty and students demonstrate the positive impact of KIIT's focus on research and innovation. Currently, nearly 100 research and consultancy projects are funded by various national and international funding agencies. Faculty members and research scholars of the University have published about 12,000 papers in various national and international journals of repute. Over 4500 research papers have been indexed in international databases like Scopus with a high citation index. Numerous research papers authored by students have also been published in reputed national and international journals.

Centres of Excellence:

KIIT has established 18 Centres of Excellence with industry to promote collaborative research.

§  SAP Centre of Excellence
§  IBM Centre of Excellence
§  Siemens Lab
§  Innovation and Entrepreneurship Cell
§  Centre for Industry Institutional Interface
§  American Study Centre
§  MSME Centre for Entrepreneurship development
§  Interdisciplinary Centre of Energy with special reference to Renewable Energy
§  Interdisciplinary Research Centre in Materials and Nano Sciences
§  Centre for Translational Research
§  Centre for Industrial Technology
§  IPR and Patent Cell
§  ISRO KIIT Satellite Centre
§  NI Centre of Excellence
§  IoT Centre of Excellence
§  Tech Mahindra Design Lab
§  Intel Design Lab


KIIT proactively nurtures students' creativity and has established Student Research Cell for innovative research. It encourages students and provides financial support to write and present research papers in academic seminars, workshops and conferences. Students of KIIT have the distinction of being appreciated at the national and international forum for their research projects. In recent years, KIIT team have emerged as a strong contender in the prestigious automobile design competitions organized by BAJA SAE as well as the prestigious Aeronautical Design competition, 'Aero Design West'. Numerous research papers authored by students have been published in reputed national and international journals.

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