Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram (DVK) is a Pontifical Athenaeum for higher learning and formation, established by the Congregation for Catholic Education, Vatican, as an independent institute, empowered to grant degrees, including Licentiate and Doctorate in Philosophy and Theology, Licentiate in Oriental Canon Law, Licentiate and Master’s in Formative Spirituality and Counselling.
Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram is a Registered Society under the Karnataka Societies of Registration Act 1960 (Karnataka Act No.17 of 1960) as Sl. No.13/84-85 of Bangalore City Corporation.
Institute of Oriental Canon Law
In the context of the ever-increasing importance of specialization and research in Oriental Canon Law and taking into account the facilities of DVK in creatively contributing to the overall progress of the Church in India, especially the Oriental Churches, a new Institute was erected at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram by the Congregation for Catholic Education on March 29, 1999. This Institute is aggregated to the Pontifical Oriental Institute (PIO), Rome, and is named Institute of Oriental Canon Law. This institute was inaugurated on July 14, 1999 by Major Archbishop Mar Varkey Cardinal VithayathilCSsR, then Chancellor of DVK.
The New Campus
Growing as a premier institution of theological and philosophical education, DVK gradually developed a separate and independent campus for itself, exhibiting its grandeur and intellectual ambience. Thanks to the generous help of our well-wishers and benefactors such as MISSIO, the Archdiocese of Cologne, and others, the Administrative Centre, Theology Faculty, Philosophy Faculty, Postgraduate Centre, Adhyayana Hostel, and a well-equipped Central Library were constructed in due course.
Contact with Other Centres of Learning
Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram maintains close relationship with St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute, Bangalore, and organises mutually beneficial academic programmes. To foster ecumenical relations and co-operation in theological and related studies DVK has entered into a contract with the United Theological College (UTC), Bangalore. It has also very cooperative academic relations with the Ecumenical Christian Centre (ECC), Whitefield, Bangalore. DVK is a member of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) and of the Conference of Catholic Theological Institutions (COCTI).
Postgraduate Programmes
The Office of the Coordinator of the Postgraduate Programmes is instituted in order (1) to promote the spirit of interdisciplinary approach among the postgraduate students of theology, philosophy, canon law and formative spirituality and counselling, (2) to coordinate inter-faculty/departmental programmes, such as general orientation, seminars, conferences, and extension lectures, (3) to organize, in whatever way possible, common classes in optional subjects, languages, methodology, etc., and (4) to facilitate community mining, in order to create an atmosphere of mutual appreciation and understanding among the postgraduate students.
Coordinator: Prof. Dr. Paulachan Kochappilly, CMI
Email: paulachan.kochappilly@cmi.in