The university plans to set up a Central Research Centre to focus on areas such as environment and water.

Buoyed by the Institution of Eminence (IoE) status, KIIT University is all set to inject Rs 200 crore to promote multi-disciplinary research, a senior official said on Sunday.

The university plans to set up a Central Research Centre to focus on areas such as environment and water, the official said.

Union Human Resource Development Ministry has issued a Letter of Intent (LoI) for ''Institution of Eminence'' (IoE) tag to KIIT University recently, said Dr Achyuta Samanta, Founder of KIIT and KISS.

The institute is among the 10 private universities in the country and the youngest of all to be selected for the coveted IoE status, he claimed.

"KIIT will spend Rs 200 crore to set up a Central Research Centre in order to promote multi-disciplinary research," said a senior official of the institute.

While promoting research work, the university will focus on areas such as environment and water and issues like healthcare, energy, medical and material sciences will also be accorded special attention, the official said.

Noting that the IoE status has brought greater responsibility for the institute to ensure high standard of education, research and innovations and transform itself into a world class educational hub, said Mr Samanta, also a Lok Sabha MP.

Around 1,000 students from 53 foreign countries are presently pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate courses in the university, Mr Samanta said adding that efforts would be made to attract more overseas students to study in the 22-year-old institute.

Highlighting the advantages of IoE tag, the Lok Sabha member said it gives complete autonomy to KIIT to enter into collaborations with foreign and Indian educational institutes for the benefit of students and researchers.

It will also enable the institute to design its own course curriculum and carry out recruitment of faculty members.

Recalling that the institute had started its journey from a small rented house with a seed capital Rs 5,000, he said, "We have faced many challenges and hurdles but we have never compromised on quality."