CHENNAI: The research and development wing of Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE) under the Higher Education Department has decided to function as a central coordinating body to streamline research initiatives in all the Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs).

Through this new initiative, TANSCHE will also align institutions with the state's socio-economic priorities and will facilitate collaboration between academia, industry, government, and the community while mitigating duplication of efforts.

A senior official from the Higher Education Department said that the TANSCHE research wing will coordinate research funding by integrating existing grants such as the Chief Minister Research Fellowship (CMRF) and Chief Minister Research Grant (CMRG), ensuring targeted investments in high-impact projects.

"Specialised segments will drive applied research across zoned regions of the state with achievable targets", he said, adding, "This initiative will also strengthen industry-academia-government linkages, promote technology development, support product innovation and patents and address brain drain through talent engagement programmes.

Stating that the wing will also recommend financial assistance through various schemes like the student projects scheme and research funding for research scholars in colleges, the official said these schemes support research in diverse fields like Agricultural Sciences, Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Physics, Chemistry, Medical Sciences, Social Sciences, and Veterinary Sciences.

The official said that apart from functioning as a central coordinating body for research activities, the TANSCHE wing also planned to conduct a competency mapping initiative, which aims at aligning students' education with industry requirements to enhance employability.

"This programme will identify relevant job roles for students in engineering, arts, and science disciplines, outlining the necessary skills and competencies for each role", he said, adding that students will be guided to acquire these skills through targeted training and internships alongside their regular coursework.