L-CERI

Prof. Felix Wilfred lectures on social exclusion at SXUK

Posted : March 11, 2023

Prof. Felix Wilfred lectures on social exclusion at SXUK

St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata (SXUK) organised an extension lecture on ‘Principles and ways to overcome social exclusion in Asia’ on March 11, 2023 at the university campus. The speaker was Prof. Father Felix Wilfred, an eminent academician and theologian from Chennai.

Formerly associated with the University of Madras as the Chairperson of the School of Philosophy and Religious Thought, Prof. Wilfred is the Founder-Director of Asian Culture for Cross-Cultural Studies (ACCS), Chennai.

Father John Felix Raj, S.J, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor of SXUK felicitated Father Wilfred on behalf of the Lafont Centre of Excellence in Research and Innovation (LCERI), the research wing of SXUK. In his welcome address, Father Raj reminisced his memories of student life at Vidyajoti College of Theology, New Delhi where he had first met Father Wilfred.

While referring to the practices of social exclusion across the world, Prof. Wilfred narrated his experience of visiting cities in Asia where he witnessed the culture of ‘ghettoization’ that isolates one from others. He said, “Social exclusion is a multi-layered phenomenon. It happens through social, political, cultural and economic aspects”.

He referred to untouchability as the most widely practised process that indulges in social exclusion. “This is a social evil which has been in practice since the mediaeval period throughout the world”, he added.

Referring to Nelson Mandela’s movement to rise against apartheid in South Africa, Father Wilfred said that depriving one from getting opportunity is a perpetrated attack on one’s self-respect and dignity. He said that more equity is needed than seeking equality in society to overcome exclusion. He mentioned Mahatma Gandhi who once said, “Natural resources are for the use of entire human family”.

Father Wilfred strongly criticised the present education system that ingrains the concept of competition among children. He said that it results into rat-race that empowers one student to disparage others and brings disaster to their future. He also added that parents are equally responsible for this as they pamper their children to practise social exclusion in this way. Citing the inequality in getting opportunity to pursue higher education, he said, “It still remains locked in the coterie of rich and powerful class of society”, he added.

In his concluding words, Prof. Wilfred recognised Father Raj’s ‘monumental’ and ‘significant’ contributions to the development of higher education in the state. Besides praising SXUK’s efforts to make holistic development through inclusive education policies, he urged all stakeholders of the University to come forward and join this noble mission to make a better tomorrow.

All faculty members, staff and postgraduate students of the university attended the programme.

Somak Sen

Click on the picture to zoom

LCERI conducts workshop on advanced research techniques

One Week Management Development Programme

ABOUT

Father Lafont Centre for Excellence in Research and Innovation (LCERI) is named after in fond remembrance of Father Eugene Lafont (1837-1908), a Jesuit priest from Belgium who worked in India for many years. Fr. Lafont occupies a unique place in the history of modern science in India. He had a passion for scientific research, and he took every measure to instil the same in the minds of his students at St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, ever since he joined the college in December 1865. He was the co-founder of the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science which was established in 1876, the first of its kind in India. He is acknowledged with the honour of teaching Jagadis Chandra Bose, regarded as the first scientist in modern India. Father Lafont is rightly considered as one of the architects of modern Indian science.

To honour Fr. Lafont’s legacy, St. Xavier’s University, Kolkata has envisioned a centre for excellence in research and innovation in the campus with a view to promote a culture of scientific research and to render its service to the humanity at large.

VISION

MISSION

To create a platform for research and research oriented activities for the St. Xavier’s University and its stakeholders.
To encourage research activities and to instill a culture of research and academic excellence through varied programmes and activities.
To coordinate research programmes across departments in the University and in collaboration with committees, societies and cultural boards of the University and with any other external agency, board, think tanks or government agencies, if any.
To organize and conduct research programmes on topics relevant to socially, culturally and economically marginalized and vulnerable classes of the society.
To facilitate community-oriented research through action based research and assimilation of empirical data as collected from knowledge systems.
To promote research and related academic activities amongst the faculty members across departments and also substantially guide and promote faculty members and research scholars for post-doctoral research.
To encourage students to participate, engage and involve in extensive research oriented activities and promote them to participate in International and National conferences, meets, organized events by writing research papers, submitting proposals or by mere participation with due efforts given to publish and register on behalf of SXUK.
To engage in identification of prospective research areas and organized academic discourses to realize the aim of formulation of policies and other materials for dissemination of knowledge and educational requirements.

OBJECTIVES

To strengthen the research culture in the University.
To maintain and achieve goal-oriented research outputs through research projects, academic engagements with various departments and centres or schools on a regular basis for the growth of the University with emphasis on the current research practices and inter-disciplinary activities.
To undertake survey research, organize seminars/webinars, lecture series, conclaves, symposiums, focused group discussions, conferences both national and international through various departments of the University.
To engage in different kinds of outreach and research activities on the Sustainable Development Goals and for the welfare of the local communities and marginalized and vulnerable classes.
To develop an extensive network among higher educational institutions in the State of West Bengal, across Indian and Foreign Universities in order to facilitate knowledge dissemination activities through initiatives like online dialogues, webinars or any other academic programme.
To identify, approach and indicate institutions, organizations, individuals or think tanks for resources and funding of research projects or proposals and to explore the possibilities of funding of research projects and proposals by or in collaboration with the professional organizations, academic institutions, industries, government,semi-government or autonomous organizations.
To consolidate and expand relationships with corporates/think tanks/ regulatory bodies/academic institutions/civil societies and or organizations and any other possible academic or professional platform or organization to create an active and live industry academia interface.
To organize symposiums/focused group discussions/talks and any other academic discourse as possible periodically and invite both the faculty and the students of the University or from other academic or professional fields to share their research, engage in dialogue and actively engage themselves in the academic pursuits of the University and the Centre for Research.
To encourage and promote students of the University across departments to participate in the welfare of the society as well as the academic endeavours of the centre.
To motivate students to participate and undertake research, that would benefit the development of the marginalized in West Bengal, outside the state as well as the adjoining areas of the University and or any other areas as recognized by the centre and the classes of the Society.
To develop an extensive network between higher educational institutions specially the Jesuit run universities and research centers for exchange of knowledge as well as other agencies and organizations of the State Government or any other organization with similar objectives.
To annually evaluate self-growth and progress through the activities engaged in and the feedback obtained thereto as suggestions and points of consideration.

ACTION PLAN FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2022-2023

Value Added Course on “Research and Publication Ethics”: The Centre shall introduce a value-added course on “Research and Publication Ethics” as mandated by the UGC for the research scholars pursuing PhD as well as pursuing post-graduation with the University. The course will be introduced under the research wing of the Centre.
Programme on Awareness of The Constitution of India: The Centre shall in collaboration with the various departments engage in programmes to create awareness about the principles of The Constitution of India amongst its students, faculty members and other stakeholders.
Academic Symposium in collaboration with Academic Institutions: The Centre either solely or jointly shall in collaboration with other Higher Educational Institutions, groups, centres and companies, industries and or non governmentalorganizations or think tanks organize regular seminars and workshops or symposiums for all the departments and the students on regular basis. Departments and schools can initiate the same with the due approval of the Centre.
Collaboration with the Centres/IQAC, Departments and Schools of the University: The Centre shall engage in promotion of quality of the teaching learning activities, promote gender and feminist studies, consumer awareness, entrepreneurial and other industrial visits or orientation programmes by engaging in lectures, action research, seminars or talks and awareness drives as suggested by the Cell or any other organizations.
Publication:

(i) The Centre shall publishprojects, reports, proceedings of the conferences/symposiums, research papers, journals, magazines, special lectures or any other proceedings as per the requirement of the Centre. The Centre shall also extend co-operation and full support to all the magazines, reports and other publications on behalf of the University. There should be regular reports, newsletters and other documentation as per the requirements of the Centre and the University.

(ii) The Centre will also take measures to regularly publish through websites or use of information technology and seek commercialization of intellectual property of the University/Faculty Members/Students/Departments along with the processing of required documents to obtain recognition for such intellectual property rights on behalf of the University.
All programmes conducted by the Centre or in collaboration with the Centre should be placed before the Director of the Centre for prior approval through proposals drafted by the concerned department, faculty or student. The proposals and the details plan of execution should be made available at least 30 days prior to the programme and the concerned faculty shall be responsible for generating the final report of the programme to be duly submitted to the Centre within 7 working days of the completion of the programme. The detailed outline shall be made available by the Centre as a standard format for the department, faculties and students to follow and maintain uniformity.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, in consultation with the Executive Director of the Centre shall give the approval for any proposed programmes placed to the Centre.

Contact

Dr. Soma Sur
Honorary Director
Father Lafont Centre for Excellence in Research and Innovation (LCERI)
St. Xavier's University, Kolkata
Action Area IIIB, New Town, Kolkata – 700160, India
Tel.: 033 6624 9875
Mobile: 9433195360
E-mail: To be updated soon