Polus Software, a software development and consulting company located in Technopark here, has carved up a strong customer base among top universities in the US.

Polus is a fully integrated IT consulting and solutions company, providing development, customisation and integration services to companies. It is a subsidiary of the US-based Genesistec Inc, and is also the offshore development centre for Polus Solutions Inc., a company spokesman said here.

The company has been developing software programme for electronic research administration for at least 70 universities in the US, which include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Northeastern University to Johns Hopkins University.

Research by universities remains a prime source of knowledge and innovation directing adequate investment in high-level research and institutionalising reforms to build world-class higher education systems. Research activities are also the main source of income for universities in the US, the spokesman added.

MAIN INCOME

Polus works in close coordination with universities on electronic research administration to streamline activities through applications and interfaces such as the mobile phone and web.

Electronic research administration system assists the research community with proposal development and pre- and post-award management. The purpose of the system is to standardise and increase efficiency of award acquisition and administration for all participants.

The applications that Polus develops are designed to meet the needs of all sizes of institutions ranging from research universities to community colleges, the spokesman pointed out.

MANAGING COMPLEXITIES

The company's main product builds a comprehensive system to manage the complexities of research administration that fully addresses the needs of the faculty researcher through grants administration to federal as well as non-federal funding agencies. The software makes it possible to prepare proposals, route them to obtain internal approvals, and submit them to sponsors electronically.

Polus is currently working in tandem with MIT towards enhancing the application and updating the technical architecture for vendor independence and easier integration with other administration systems. The company is looking to expand the development team strength in Thiruvananthapuram by recruiting professionals, the spokesman said.

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