T. Pradeep Kumar, Vice Chancellor of Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) – India’s first fisheries university exclusively for fisheries and ocean sciences – is betting big on the university emerging as a global knowledge hub for sustainable fisheries and ocean development with global Blue Economy goals.
The Vice Chancellor, who is stepping down from the helm of the varsity after his two-year tenure, believes that the bagging of A grade in NAAC accreditation will make KUFOS more competitive for national and international funding, academic exchange programmes and institutional partnerships.
How do you evaluate your role as the VC in KUFOS?
One of the major highlights was organising the first-ever Global Fisheries Congress and Expo in January 2024 in collaboration with the alumni association, which brought international attention. We became a member of the University of the Arctic (UArctic), opening new avenues for polar- and climate-related research collaborations. Several MoUs were signed with national and international academic and business entities, strengthening our partnerships and expanding opportunities for our students and faculty.
We also initiated programmes to certify India’s pelagic resources through stakeholder consultations, while promoting innovative research on alternative protein sources like black soldier fly larvae, which contribute to both feed security and effective waste management. The promotion of Pearl Spot seed production and genetic improvement studies for the species marked a significant step in species-specific aquaculture research.
Future plans of KUFOS to develop into a global hub for fisheries and ocean sciences?
Our strategic vision involves transforming KUFOS into a Multidisciplinary Education and Research University by broadening academic disciplines, enhancing interdisciplinary research, developing global academic and research partnerships and positioning the University as a policy think-tank for India’s Blue Economy.
We always encourage students to go abroad to acquire a new skill set for leading the fisheries scenario of our country. Many are working in leading universities and laboratories in different parts of the world on various fellowships. Of late, we sent 9 students and a faculty member to Norway for a 3-month training programme in continuation of the Norwegian visit of Kerala Chief Minister in 2022. Such associations will lead to the opening of new Centres and departments, offer dual-degree and interdisciplinary programmes, establish new centres of excellence, and encourage trans-disciplinary research proposals, internationalisation of research and so on.
We are in talks with international universities and marine research institutions for collaborative projects and dual-degree programmes. Our core, however, roots to societal engagement for sustainable development that integrates livelihood research, coastal management and policy advisory into academic priorities, expand fisher-folk training centres and skill development hubs in coastal districts and launch “Fisheries for All” outreach programmes.
KUFOS is also stepping into industrial collaborations with seafood processing companies, aquaculture startups and marine instrumentation firms for skill development, technology transfer and pilot projects. We have established a Business Incubation Centre, which supports startups in areas like aquaponics, food processing and biofloc technology.
Can you outline the future roadmap for making KUFOS a global leader in the Blue Economy?
KUFOS is actively contributing to India’s Blue Economy through interdisciplinary research and training in areas such as marine biotechnology, aquaculture diversification, marine spatial planning and sustainable port development. To become a global leading educational institute, we will need to launch flagship interdisciplinary programmes that could attract both international students and industries.
Some of the programmes which we have envisaged include MBA in Blue Economy & Maritime Management, MTech in Marine Renewable Energy, MSc in Coastal Climate Change & Resilience, PG Diploma in Ocean Law and Policy, MSc in Marine Data Analytics and Robotics etc.
We will also need to establish a Centre for Blue Economy Studies focused on facilitating trans-disciplinary research clusters across science, technology, economics and policy without affecting the livelihoods of fishermen community and biodiversity of the region.
What are the contributions of KUFOS to the fishing community’s welfare in Kerala and beyond?
We take pride in being the only university in the country that reserves 20 per cent of seats for children of fishermen, ensuring inclusivity in education. Our extension and outreach services are deeply rooted in Kerala’s coastal and inland fishing communities. Through programmes like ‘Village adoption’ and ‘KarimeenGramam’, we provide on-site training in sustainable fish farming. Through the ‘Centre for Field Consultancy’ and Data Analysis’ and ‘The Pandit Karuppan Chair’ we have focussed on studying the socio-economic status and livelihood security of fisher-folks.
The Centre for Advanced Studies and Research in Entrepreneurship Development fosters entrepreneurship skills in developing value-added fish products, bakery products, ornamental fish farming etc. These efforts have led to increased income, job creation and better living conditions for many coastal families.
The university in association with the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS, Hyderabad), regularly disseminates advisories on the Potential Fishing Zones, which has greatly reduced their scouting time saving valuable money. We could also standardise the captive breeding techniques of many indigenous freshwater fishes, which with the help of local fishermen and tribes have been successfully implemented in many high-altitude regions of the state.