Chennai: Loyola College, one of the most prestigious institutions in Chennai, is planning a complete makeover by 2025 when it celebrates 100 years of its establishment. It is planning to raise Rs.200 crores needed to transform it into a world class institution.

The college recently launched the Loyola Development Office (LDO) to supervise the fund raising and networking needed to transform it into an international institution. The LDO will be headed by Joe Arun, Dean of External Affairs and Development.

The development of human resources, training and building competencies in both teaching and non-teaching staff will also be supervised by the LDO. It will be responsible to establish Loyola's relations with other educational institutions, in India and abroad and with government and with non-governmental organisations.

Smart classrooms, for executing new strategies in teaching and learning, new buildings for a business school, School of Physical Sciences, School of Media Studies and School of Education will be structured by the funding money.

A source from the college said, "There is a multitude of research funding available globally, especially in high-profile areas such as global warming, HIV/AIDS and human rights. Our research projects need to exploit these."

When asked about the conversion of the college into a university, the college management said, "We now have 150 aided staff, and we need to take their benefits into consideration. Will the government take care of them if we become a university?"

"We cannot become a fully self-financing university because of our policy of taking in poor students. The Rs.200 crores is not for a corpus fund", it added.