The new St Xavier’s University will set up a research centre in the New Town campus of the city next year, Vice-Chancellor Rev Father John Felix Raj said on Tuesday.

While 35 researchers were now at work at the St Xavier’s College, the new university, which started functioning from July 2017, will have its research centre functioning from next year, Felix Raj told PTI on the sidelines of the 11th Convocation and Valedictory of St Xavier’s College here.

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“The research centre will be for PhD projects,” he said.

West Bengal Education and Higher Education minister Partha Chatterjee on Monday called upon the university to become a centre of excellence and recommended the varsity set up a research centre by next year apart from running courses.

“The new St Xavier’s University, which celebrated its first anniversary foundation day on Monday, was set up on 17 acres of land allotted by West Bengal government and will work towards imparting excellent quality education as underscored by Education Minister Partha Chatterjee,” Felix Raj, who had been previously the Principal of St Xavier’s College, said.

Felix Raj was given the highest honour from St Xavier’s College, ‘Nihil Ultra Award’ by present Principal Rev Dr Dominic Savio at the 11th Convocation.

Turning emotional he said, “It is a different kind of feeling as I had served St Xavier’s College for 33 years and left this place to become the VC of St Xavier’s and build it as a world-class university.”

At the St Xavier’s College function on Tuesday, Calcutta University Pro Vice-Chancellor Prof Dipak Kumar De conferred degrees to undergraduate students of the St Xavier’s College.

Twenty-three gold medals were also given to students in various disciplines.

The Principal said on February 21, the International Mother Language day, St Xavier’s College (Kolkata) Alumni Association with the Bengali Literary Society of the premier institution will hold an international torch light peace tour aimed at promoting native mother tongues across the world.

The torchlight tour will start from Sahid Bedi, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh, travel to St Joseph’s College, Bengaluru, Dubai (the Indian Association there), again Asansol St Xavier’s College, Burdwan St Xavier’s College, St Xavier’s College, Raghabhpur, St Xavier’s University, Rajarhat and finally culminate at St Xavier’s College, Kolkata.