The Higher Education Review

With a zeal to make its students professionally successful, balanced, and integrated persons who contribute to society with sensitivity and responsibility, St. Xavier’s College has been established in 1869 and celebrates 153 years of academic teaching-learning excellence. Envisioning to be an academic community dedicated to the holistic education of future leaders who will demonstrate innovation in their professional competencies, integration in their personal lives, and inclusion in their social contribution, the institute stresses on two clear aspects of learning and development and that is according to the Jesuit USP, namely, Cura personalis (Care for the Whole Person - personal accompaniment) and Cura socialis (Care for Society social connection and social contribution).

St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai-1 has strengthened its foundation in academic excellence by helping shape students’ minds and hearts into a habit of reaching out to the needs of today's and tomorrow's global society by providing a contemporary learning environment for collaborative study of social sciences, arts, media studies, and science.

Xavier Institute Of Communications: A Door To The Media And Mass Comm. Industry
Creating a multi-disciplinary approach to research, collaborative learning, and critical knowledge creation to promote an eclectic ecosystem of academic excellence, the Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC) and the Department of Mass Media of St. Xavier’s College are led with the vision of training students into becoming media professionals and leaders.

XIC, established in 1969 conducts industry-recognized Diploma Courses in Journalism and Mass Communication, Public Relations & Corporate Communication, Advertising & Marketing Communication, Film Television & Digital Video Production, Event Planning & Experiential Marketing, and an Advanced Integrated Communication Program [AICP]. The short-term Certificate Courses viz.

Creative Writing, Public Speaking and Personality Enhancement, Radio Jockey, ABCDE (Announcing, Broadcasting,

Compering, Dubbing and E-book narration), Photography, Computer Graphics for Print and Digital Design, Branding, Business Communication, Personality Development and Conversational English are conducted throughout the year. These courses are available for undergraduates and graduates from all faculties. The Department of Mass Media, St.

Xavier’s College, offers BA in Mass Communication and Journalism (BA MCJ) with specialization in Advertising and Journalism, a three-year degree program (affiliated to the Mumbai University) since 2003.

“We have had a long tradition of offering mainly liberal arts and theoretical science courses. Our courses in the humanities and the social sciences and a few professional courses such as IT, management and communication studies are valued by students across the nation, and even a few international students. The uniqueness of our courses rests on three components: innovative teaching methods employed by our faculty, guest lecturers from industry professionals and a highly talented and energized student pool,” states Dr (Fr.) Keith D’Souza S.J. Rector, Vice- Chairman & Trustee, St. Xavier’s College.

Alliance And Collaborations
The inter-disciplinary campus of St. Xavier’s College attracts several foreign collaborations. The institution is now in the process of linking with the Emlyon Business School, France, in setting up an incubation center (a Learning Hub) which will provide a teaching-learning facility and a fabrication lab with state-of-the-art digital printers, digital cutters and other laboratory equipment that would facilitate innovative learning.

The Learning Hub will function for both Indian and French students and will be run in collaboration with the faculty of the College. Emlyon will facilitate the coming of French students to the institution for specific courses that would expose them especially to the variegated business and popular culture of India.

Inclusion And Support
Given out on College Day, 31st July, at the Feast of St. Ignatius., St. Xavier’s College offers a wide range of scholarships, based on aptitude, disability, cultural diversity, economic disadvantage, to name a few. In general, the fees for Government aided courses are minimal, and even the fees for most self-financed courses are quite reasonable, in comparison to other institutes nationally.

Highlighting personal integration and social inclusion as important

aspects of the institution to ensure the holistic development of education, Dr (Fr.) Keith D’Souza S.J. states, “Campus units like the Xavier’s Resource Centre for the Visually Challenged (XRCVC), the Social Service League (SSL) and the Social Involvement Program (SIP) provide access and support to those who are underprivileged in some ways or the other, especially physically, socially or economically.

There are other add-on units on campus like the Wellness Centre, the Department of Inter-Religious Studies and the All-India Catholic University Federation (AICUF) which provide opportunities for students to engage in extra-curricular projects with a focus on outreach. We also have a Counselling Centre (part of the Wellness Centre) which gives students a chance to address their inner conflicts or seek career guidance.”

Inspiring Generations Of Students
St. Xavier’s College continues to shape its students into prominent world-class visionaries and exemplary leaders in every field, as the legacy of its alumni inspires generations of Xavierites, such as Padma Bhushan for Industry- Mr. Adi Godrej, Padma Bhushan for Literature and Education - Dr. Jose Pereira, Padma Bhushan for Art and Cinema- Ms. Shabana Azmi, Padma Bhushan for Art - Dr. Ms. Vidya Dehejia, Padma Shri for Trade and Industry- Dr. Ms. Swati Piramal, Padma Shri Dr. Mustansir Barma - Director of the TIFR in Mumbai. Having a good blend of liberal arts, a long history of rigorous science, St. Xavier’s College presently strives to upscale its Commerce educational offerings by introducing professional courses such as the Bachelors in Accounts and Financing (BAF).

"The inter-disciplinary campus of St. Xavier’s College attracts several foreign collaborations. The institution is now in the process of linking with the Emlyon Business School, France"

“Remaining abreast with the ever-changing developments around us, we intend to include more industry collaborations, more networking and linkages with other Jesuit higher educational institutions located all over India and abroad, and give more attention to technology, especially artificial intelligence. On the anvil, we want to start a Global Management/Leadership Program where we will invite students admitted to international universities to study on our campus to secure necessary local credit towards their international degrees,” concludes Dr (Fr.) Keith D’Souza S.J.