Sikkim Manipal University is a public-private partnership between the Government of Sikkim and Manipal Education in India. It was established in 1995 and is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) as a State Private University. SMU has two constituent institutes: Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS) and Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (SMIT). As ranked by Competition Success Review in October 2009, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology (SMIT) ranked amongst top 8th Best University Engineering Colleges of India. SMIT Ranked amongst top 17th Best Engineering Colleges of Excellence in India. SMIT was also ranked 27th amongst the Top 50 Engineering Colleges of India. Apart from regular college-based programs, the university provides courses in distant education through Sikkim Manipal University Distance Education (SMUDE). All the degrees provided in distance mode are approved by Distance Education Council (DEC). SMU is a member of Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and Association of Commonwealth Universities, UK (ACU).