Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs) have been established, by the Government of India by an act of Parliament, with a vision to pursue excellence in science and nurture talent in students from an early age. IISERs are autonomous institutions under the Ministry of Human Resources Development dedicated to research and teaching. They offer courses in all branches of basic sciences at all levels starting from Undergraduate to Postdoctoral programmes. IISER Thiruvananthapuram (IISER TVM) is one of the six IISERs coming up across India. IISER- TVM is being built as an institution with world-class infrastructure, with well-planned curriculum, with a student–teacher ratio of 1:10, and with accomplished researchers imparting knowledge from fundamentals to recent advances of science to brilliant and motivated young minds.

The academic programs (BS-MS, integrated Ph.D and Ph.D) of IISER TVM are meticulously organized, to satisfy the innate curiosity and desire to learn, to the best students across the country while at the same time keeping in mind the needs of academia/industry. Students, as undergraduates, are exposed to collaborative research across disciplines and they are accorded the opportunity for further growth and development through constant exposure to various national and international internship programmes, talks by scientific and industrial leaders at national and international level, seminars/workshops etc. The intense attention and rigorous training that students get at IISER TVM prepares them for competing at the global level.

IISER TVM attracts some of the best and brightest young researchers of Indian origin from around the world as faculty members. In addition to teaching courses the faculty members also lead vibrant research programs, pushing the frontiers of basic and applied sciences. The institute has an excellent publication record in internationally recognized journals with the undergraduate students also contributing substantially. The institute nurtures research with an inter-disciplinary flavor and has established specialized centers and is engaged actively with leading universities around the world through memoranda of understanding that facilitate the exchange of personnel and ideas.

In realizing the vision of development of high quality education and research, IISER TVM is supported by a dedicated team of non-teaching staff. They help in implementing good governance practices to strengthen the institutional structures and contribute to organisational efficiency and effectiveness by working in collaborative and transparent manner.

I am sure the students, staff and faculty members will bring accolades to this young and vibrant Institution at Vithura, at the foothills of the Ponmudi hills.