Bhubaneswar: Odisha's Higher Education Department has approved six new Centres of Excellence (CoEs) across five state public universities, backed by a total investment of Rs 26 crore.

The move is aimed at positioning the state’s universities as leading hubs of research and knowledge creation.

The proposed centres span emerging and socially relevant disciplines. Rama Devi Women’s University will establish a CoE for microbial research for sustainable development (Rs 3.75 crore), while Sambalpur University gets Rs 5.85 crore for translational research in natural products. Gangadhar Meher University will host two centres, one on nano science and energy storage (Rs 3.75 crore) and a DDU Centre for Public Policy and Governance (Rs 1.55 crore). Utkal University will set up a centre on brain health and neurodegenerative disorders (Rs 5.85 crore) and Fakir Mohan University will focus on smart materials and thin films (Rs 5.25 crore).

These additions build on an existing network of 22 CoEs operational across eight state universities, most established under the World Bank-supported OHEPEE programme at Rs 2.5 crore each.

Together, these centres have generated over 1,000 patents so far, with faculty recruitment underway to further strengthen research output.