The Xavier Centre of Historical Research is a Jesuit history research centre located in Alto Porvorim, Goa in India. It was founded in the late 1970s and its first director was John Correia Afonso SJ. After John Correia Afonso, Dr. Teotonio R. de Souza was the next director of the Centre (1979–1994). Charles Borges SJ who had served as Administrator and Associate Director, took over the direction of XCHR until the year 2000, when he left for Maryland College in Baltimore as its faculty staff. He was succeeded by Delio Mendonca, SJ and Savio Abreu, SJ. The present director is Anthony da Silva SJ. It is a prominent institution in Asia for its focus on Indo-Portuguese issues, and besides organising seminars and talks, it also publishes a number of books related to the Portuguese in India and Asia, Goa, the Jesuits and other historical themes. A few years ago, the focus of the institute was expanded to study Jesuit History of the Society of Jesus in South Asia. It has set up an art gallery.

The Xavier Centre of Historical Research (XCHR) was set up by the Jesuits of the Goa-Poona Province in 1977. XCHR activities were inaugurated on November 4, 1979, under the direction of Teotónio R. de Souza who did the groundwork and accompanied the activities of the XCHR until April 1994. Till 1983, the institution was provisionally situated at Miramar, in Goa. Currently, it is located at Bakibab Borkar Road, Alto Porvorim, Goa.

Present for the inauguration in 1979 were Professor P.M. Joshi, the retired director of the Maharashtra Archives, and Dr. José Blanco, then administrator of Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation of Lisbon.

XCHR's founding came at a time when relations between India and Portugal, which had soured because of the Annexation of Goa in 1961, were just starting to thaw, following the 1974 Carnation Revolution in Portugal.

Cajetan Coelho, a historian himself connected with this institution until recently, argues that the XCHR "has helped this process at the cultural level by its involvement in the organization of the series of International Seminars on Indo-Portuguese History ISIPH, initiated by Rev. John Correia-Afonso former director of the Heras Institute in Bombay in December 1978."

The XCHR has been organizing local and national history seminars since 1980 to facilitate an interchange among professional historians and students of history. The XCHR says its aims and objectives include promoting research in history and related disciplines by providing inter-disciplinary methodology, sharing its perspectives where the "voiceless and subalterns find a privileged place".

The Centre builds "consciousness among the local talent" through lectures, seminars, publications, exhibitions and, of late, through an art museum and audio-visuals; by providing research facilities such as guidance, scholarships, books, documents and language tools; by preserving records and objects of interest related to local history and culture.

These writings and seminars have focussed on themes of religion in Goa, the Church in Goa and Goan history and society, including the freedom struggle. Overall, the focus is on the challenges facing Goa.