IIT Indore introduces 2 new schools of biomedical engineering and sustainability

Indian Institute of Technology Indore introduced two new schools, with the Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta Family Foundation, as a significant enhancement to its teaching and research capacity.

The two new schools introduced are the Mehta Family School of Sustainability and the Mehta Family School of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering.

The two schools will provide undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral degrees to meet critical regional and global issues.

SUSTAINABILITY SCHOOL: A FIRST OF ITS KIND

Sustainability School brings a first-of-its-kind BTech in Environmental Economics with Sustainable Engineering, which puts together engineering, science, and economics to prepare students to tackle intricate environmental matters. It will also provide three postgraduate degree programs and a PhD.

With the vision of graduating over 400 undergraduates and educating over 1,000 professionals, the school launches executive master's and doctoral programs, in collaboration with industry, government, academia, and civil society. 

The school's distinctive convergence of disciplines in addressing sustainability was commented on, Director at IIT Indore, Professor SuhasJoshi says.

At the time of the signing ceremony, he stated that Mehta Family School of Sustainability will introduce a first undergraduate course through the marriage of environmental economics and sustainable engineering.

BIOMEDICAL SCHOOL: FIGHTING ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

The Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering School will introduce a BTech in medical devices, clinical data analytics, and AI for healthcare, three postgraduate courses and a PhD course.

Curriculum -- science, engineering, and data science -- is having project learning and clinical exposure in the mode of interaction with AIIMS Bhopal and MGM Medical College, Indore. Breakerspace and Makerspace labs will be providing hands-on training.

By the fifth year, it will train 500 students and reach 1,500 in the second decade.

Among the important agendas is tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR), notably infections such as tuberculosis, with seven Central India universities.

CENTRAL INDIA BIO-MANUFACTURING HUB TO BE PLANNED

Among the long-term vision components for the biomedical school is facilitating a bio-manufacturing hub in Central India. The smart protein production, enzyme engineering, and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) will be included.

To close the gap between university research and industry innovation, the hub will target Technology Readiness Levels 3 to 7 in order to support prototype development in practical environments for R&D and student training.

BUILDING ON A FOUNDATION OF PARTNERSHIP

These launches come after the Mehta Foundation's earlier partnerships with leading IITs -- in health sciences, biosciences, and data science -- all pointing towards a long-term vision of developing specialist STEM education in India.

Synergizing with more than 1.23 million students appearing for JEE Main 2025, IIT Indore's new ventures are being rolled out amidst increased interest in engineering education, opening up budding ones to new avenues of career in frontier and high-priority areas.