About

Department of in Science, Technology & Innovation Policy (DSSTIP)

The Department of Studies in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (DSSTIP), which initiated its MPhil/PhD programme in Science, Society and Development in 2009, is one of the earliest centres to be established in the Central University of Gujarat. In the academic year 2013–14, the nomenclature of the MPhil/PhD programme was changed to MPhil-PhD programme in Studies in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy in order to attract students from both science and social science disciplines. Currently the centre offers PhD programme in Studies in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy. The Centre focuses on the social and cultural dynamics of science and technology from an interdisciplinary and comparative framework. The vision of the Centre is to emerge as a premier locus of knowledge production and dissemination in the area of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Studies. Towards this objective, the Centre specializes in a wide range of themes and concerns at the interface of science and society, dwelling upon theoretical insights offered by the emergent academic field of Science, Technology and Society (STS) Studies. The Centre endeavours to study the philosophical, historical, sociological, cultural and developmental dimensions of Science and Technology in India and equips students to critically analyze science, technology and innovation policies.

As situated in the School of Social Sciences, CSSTIP’s uniqueness is in its academic endeavour to bridge social sciences with natural sciences, exploring the social relations of modern science and technology. The faculty members of the centre belong to diverse disciplinary backgrounds and have a wide spectrum of expertise such as history and philosophy of S&T, sociology of science, social relations of technology, innovation studies, public engagement with S&T, cultural studies of S&T, and academia-government–industry relations. The Centre has pan-India profile and attracts students from diverse social and academic backgrounds such as natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, engineering, and management studies, and pursues research in a variety of topics and fields of enquiry.

The Department offers an excellent academic environment to provide students with international exposure and possibilities to interact with academicians, policy makers, civil society organizations, entrepreneurs, innovators and technocrats. The Centre also takes pride in the fact that the first MPhil and PhD degrees of the University were awarded to its students. So far twenty-four doctoral degrees and fifty-five MPhil degrees have been awarded from the Centre. Our students have also been presenting papers in national and international conferences and workshops such as GLOBELICS, ASIALICS, INDIALICS and CFIA & EADI Workshop in the Netherlands. Two of our students were selected for the prestigious STEPs Centre Summer School, sponsored by the UKERI, ESRC and IDRC, held annually in the United Kingdom. Six students have received national and international post-doctoral fellowships. Many of the Centre’s alumni are working as faculty in colleges and governmental departments and many are holding research positions in organisations such as National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies (NISTADS, New Delhi) and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT, New Delhi), as well as in prominent civil society organisations.

PROGRAMMES

M.Phil. Programme on Studies in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy


The main objective of the programme is to equip students to analyze critically science, technology and innovation in the specific disciplinary, sectoral and institutional contexts to enable them to shape socially robust and ethically committed production of knowledge, practices and inclusive policies. Students are exposed to academic debates in the field and rigorous training is offered to them in bothquantitative and qualitative dimensions of research. After the course work, research scholars will have to submit a dissertation on an appropriate topic of research.

* M.Phil. in Studies in Science, Technology & Innovation Policy will be Discontinued from 2021-22

Ph.D. Programme on Studies in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy

Currently the Centre offers a Ph.D. programme on Studies in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy. The objective of the programme is to equip students to critically analyse science, technology and innovation in specific disciplinary, sectoral and institutional contexts of South Asia to enable the shaping of socially robust and ethically committed knowledge production practices and inclusive policies. Students are exposed to the academic debates in the field and rigorous training offered in both quantitative and qualitative dimensions of research.