Ocean of Academic Excellence
Kerala’s pioneering fisheries university leads India’s marine education with global partnerships, cutting-edge research, and sustainable community outreach.
With a vision to foster human capital in research and training in fisheries and ocean sciences the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) stands as a paragon of academic excellence. Established on 20th November 2010, by the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies Act 2010, KUFOS proudly holds the distinction of being India’s first publicly funded university solely dedicated to the disciplines of fisheries and ocean studies. Officially inaugurated on 1st April 2011, KUFOS was born from the reorganisation of the erstwhile College of Fisheries. Operating under the aegis of the Department of Fisheries, KUFOS boasts an impressive physical and academic infrastructure with a main campus spaning 62 acres in Panangad, merely 12 kilometres from the city of Kochi.
KUFOS supplemented by a 50-acre brackish and marine aquaculture facility at Puthuvype, and a 12.5-acre research centre in Payyannur. Academically, the university offers two undergraduate programmes—B.F.Sc. and B.Tech. in Food Science—and 25 specialised postgraduate courses ranging from aquaculture and fisheries engineering to maritime law. Additionally, it offers doctoral and postdoctoral degrees. The university is structured into four specialised faculties: Fisheries Science, Ocean Science and Technology, Fisheries Engineering, and Fisheries Management. KUFOS is distinguished by its focus on researchdriven education and impactful extension initiatives.
The institution maintains formal collaborative agreements with 26 national and international research bodies. In a notable Indo- Norwegian exchange programme in 2025, nine scholars and two faculty members underwent advanced training in Norway’s leading marine research centres. Such global partnerships have yielded cutting-edge research, technology transfers, and grassroots community benefits, particularly for Kerala’s coastal populations KUFOS’s growing acclaim is underscored by its academic recognitions: 12B status from the University Grants Commission in 2021–22, ICAR accreditation in 2023–24, and AICTE approval for its engineering programmes. Most recently, the university earned an ‘A’ grade in its maiden NAAC accreditation cycle, an accolade few institutions achieve at first attempt. With plans afoot to establish Fisheries and Ocean Studies Knowledge Centres across all districts of Kerala, beginning with Chavakkad, KUFOS is charting a course towards becoming a benchmark in marine education, research, and societal engagement. KUFOS remains the state’s premier institution for producing adept professionals equipped to meet the demands of sustainable development within the maritime sector.
-The writer is Professor at Department of Aquaculture, Dean i/c, Faculty of Fisheries Science & Registrar, KUFOS