design and fabrication, glass blowing, and carpentry to science and technology departments of the university and external organizations. As an academic department, it now has research programmes in the areas of Instrumentation and Applied Physics, sponsored by external funding agencies including DST, DAE, UGC, AICTE, KSCSTE and TWAS. It also offers consultancy for the design and fabrication of experimental systems for teaching, research, calibration and industrial applications. The department offers a four-year BTech (Bachelors) course in Instrumentation Technology, two-year MTech course in Instrumentation Technology and two-year MSc course in Instrumentation. K N Madhusoodanan, professor of Department of Instrumentation was appointed vice-chancellor (VC) of CUSAT on 25 April 2019 by Governor P Sathasivam. Department of Polymer Science and Rubber Technology The Department of Polymer Science and Rubber Technology (P.S. & R.T.), established in 1971, is a pioneer in the areas of education and research in polymer science and engineering. Its BTech programme began in 1972, in collaboration with the Rubber Research Institute of India. It is funded by agencies including Nuffic (MHO, The Netherlands), Volkswagen Foundation (Germany), MHRD, AICTE, DRDO, DST, and UGC. Department of Ship Technology The Department of Ship Technology was founded in 1974 and is one of the pioneers in the field of Naval Architecture education in India. Its BTech programme in Naval Architecture and Ship Building began in 1975. The Naval Architecture programme is run in collaboration with the University of Rostock, Germany, and its graduates are in demand for positions in the shipbuilding industry, ship classification societies, R&D organisations, and the Indian Navy. The Ministry of Shipping (Government of India) approved the BTech course for the M.O.T. Certificate Examination, and the Indian Navy has recognised this department as a centre for the higher education of their officers. The Society of Naval Architecture Students in the department publishes an annual Technical Magazine, SHIPSTECHNIC. International School of Photonics The International School of Photonics (ISP) was founded in 1995. Research activities include the design and fabrication of various laser systems and laser components, investigations of non-linear phenomena in different materials using photothermal, photoacoustic and related techniques, time- and space-resolved studies on laser-induced plasmas, design and characterization of fibre-optic sensors, fabrication and characterisation of polymer fibres, preparation and investigation of photonic materials and studies on photonics theory, sponsored by funding agencies including DST, AICTE and UGC. The University Grants Commission designated Cochin University of Science and Technology as a "University