A knowledge centre comprising a Sophisticated Instrumentation Facility, instructor-led classroom teaching and technology-enhanced learning techniques, the first of this kind among the universities in Kerala, namely the Institute for Integrated Programmes and Research in Basic Sciences (IIRBS), has been instituted directly under Mahatma Gandhi University in 2008. The Institute aimed to provide intellectual, instrumental as well as experimental support for pursuing excellence in basic science branches and is expected to contribute to the talent pool of researchers and specialized technicians. The Institute launched a Five-year Integrated Interdisciplinary Master of Science (Chemistry, Physics and Biology) programmes in the year 2009 for the students who completed their plus 2 with sciences and mathematics.
Now, Mahatma Gandhi University is commencing innovative Five-Year integrated interdisciplinary Master of Science programmes in five major disciplines at IIRBS. This programme aims to integrate the conventional bachelor’s and master’s programmes under a specified learning experience by bringing together various science disciplines. The offered disciplines include Chemistry, Physics, Life Sciences, Computer Science and Environmental Science. This five-year integrated programme follows a pattern with initial three years of undergraduate (B.Sc.) level Foundation courses followed by two years of Postgraduate (M.Sc.) level Advanced courses. At the end of the programme, Integrated M.Sc. Degree will be awarded in the discipline concerned.