The Union Cabinet on Thursday (November 20) gave its assent to the establishment of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Regional Centre for Training and Education in Biotechnology at Faridabad, Haryana. The project would cost around Rs. 100 crores. The centre would be a regional hub for interdisciplinary education and training in biotechnology with emphasis on novel education programmes relevant to industry, including bio-drug discovery science, nano-science and medicine.

The centre will be the first ever inter-disciplinary institution in life sciences and biotechnology in India with unique international character to offer novel educational and training courses in the interdisciplinary and related areas of biotechnology.

The proposed centre would not only act as the focal point for cooperation amongst the members countries of the Asian Region in Biotechnology but also fulfill and overcome the acute shortage of skilled human resources in India.

The Board of Governors that will run the proposed centre will include representatives from India, UNESCO and other member countries. Collaboration with UNESCO will ensure gateways to international institutions such as European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO), International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB). It would also be a place of designing of new and novel programmes for education and training, which could be then assimilated by the existing universities in India.