It is also a major center of learning and is home to several schools and colleges including Kerala University , and to many scientific institutions , the most prominent being the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre ( VSSC ) , Sree Chitra Tirunal Instiute for Medical Sciences and Technology ( SCTIMST ) , Technopark , Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology ( RGCB ) and Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology ( IIST ) . Apart from being the political nerve center of Kerala , it is also a major academic hub and is home to several educational institutions including the University of Kerala , and to many science and technology institutions , the most prominent being the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre ( VSSC ) , Technopark , the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology ( IIST ) and the Indian Institute of Science , Education and Research ( IISER ) .