A MULTI-MILLION pound dedicated institute for the study of human rights is set to open at Oxford University later this year.

Building work laying the foundations of the new Bonavero Institute of Human Rights will begin in the grounds of Mansfield College in the next few weeks.

The new building has been designed by London-based firm Rick Mather Architects and is due to be up and running by late 2016.

Spread over two floors, it will include a lecture auditorium shared with Mansfield College, study rooms and a seminar room, as well as 74 undergraduate student rooms.

It will serve as a focal point for human rights law study in conjunction with the university's Faculty of Law, and will also aim to improve academic and public understanding of human rights law through teaching and research. So far £22m has been raised for construction, core staff and operating costs.

The Bonavero Institute is named after the Bonavero family, who in 1990 founded the A B Charitable Trust to defend and promote the cause of human dignity.

Mr Bonavero said: "My family is delighted to support the timely creation of a world-class Institute of Human Rights and cannot think of a better home for it than the internationally-renowned Law Faculty at the University of Oxford.

"The new Institute will produce, and deploy in the field, academic research of such calibre that the lives of men, women and children worldwide will be improved."

University vice-chancellor Louise Richardson, said: ‘Research and teaching in the field of human rights has never been more important.

"The creation of the Bonavero Institute of Human Rights will enable us to bring renewed focus to our existing activities in this field."