Vice-chancellor of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology Eadala Saibaba Reddy. Telegraph picture

Sambalpur, Nov. 6: Eadala Saibaba Reddy, the new vice-chancellor of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, will focus on making the institute a “centre of excellence for technology and research”.

In a chat with The Telegraph, he said: “I will make efforts to establish a research and development cell in the university.”

He said steps would be taken to get the approval and ranking of the National Assessment And Accreditation Council and the National Board of Accreditation for the university.

At present, Reddy is serving as a professor in the department of civil engineering at Jawaharlal Nehru Technical University, Hyderabad.

He did his master of engineering from Roorkee and PhD from University of Nottingham, UK.

Later, he did his post-doctorate from University of Halifax, Canada and University of Birmingham, UK.

“I will try to establish the school of information technology, school of management studies, school of science and technology, planning and architecture, and pharmacy in the university,” he said.

Besides, emphasis would given on concluding MoUs with the industries, national and international institutes, universities for faculty and students exchange programme. The other areas, on which he intends to concentrate, are establishing academic staff college for training of the academic faculty of Odisha and other eastern states, entrepreneur development cell, directorate of industrial consultancy and technology business incubator in the university.

Talking about the varsity, Reddy said: “It has produced a large number of competent engineers and technocrats. Keeping in view of the track record of the college, it has been converted into a technological university. As the university is established in 2009, it may be considered as very young. However, it has got very qualified faculty.”

Reddy has been awarded several prestigious scholarships and fellowships, which includes an UGC Scholarship, Common Wealth Scholarship (UK), Common Wealth Fellowship (UK) and Post-Doctoral Fellowship (Canada).

He is also visiting professor at University of Birmingham, UK, University of New Orleans, Kansa State University, Florida International University and University of Illinois at Chicago (USA). He is also a recipient of number of national and international awards.

Reddy has published over 100 research papers in national and international journals and authored four text books in civil and environmental engineering.