Education ministers of Assam and Meghalaya, on Monday, inaugurated an International Centre of Excellence at the University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM). 

The International Centre of Excellence was inaugurated jointly by Assam education minister Ranuj Pegu and his Meghalaya counterpart Lahkmen Rymbui. 

While, Rymbui was physically present at the University campus, Ranuj Pegu joined the ceremony virtually. 

After the inauguration, Assam education minister Ranuj Pegu said: “The International Center of Excellence (ICE) that has come up at USTM will be extremely useful for the growth of the Northeast region.”  

On the other hand, Meghalaya education minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that the collaboration of USTM with Construction Industry Development Council (CIDC), will bring positive results for the development of human resource in the region.  

He also said that study has to be done on how to balance the biosphere and economic development of the region. 

Earlier, welcoming the delegates and everyone present, chancellor of USTM – Mahbubul Hoque said that the spirit behind USTM is entrepreneurship and research.  

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Reinforcing his desire to make USTM a university of global standard by 2030, and thanking CIDC for collaborating with USTM, Hoque said that the university is growing day by day and the new International Centre of Excellence will extend value added education to the youth of the region and the neighbouring countries. 

The ICE shall have 17 schools and fraternity chapters that include: School of vocational studies, School of construction Quality assessment & health assessment of structures, School of Trenchless Technology, School of Arbitration, Conciliation & Dispute resolution, School of Technical consultancy, School of Drone technology & GIS studies, Student Chapters of ECI, IndSTT, ICC, School of Internships for young engineers, School of skill Assessors training, School of non-conventional Energy studies, School of Production/ Manufacturing process, School of Artificial intelligence, School of Faculty development, School of Subsurface Investigation, School of Surveying, School of Project Management, School of Surface Transportation.  

It is planned that the students and research scientists from India’s Northeast and other countries like from Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar shall benefit from this initiative.