During the period of the Executive Secretaries to the Ministry of Education, he was involved in the foundation of Kyoto Imperial University (present Kyoto University) as SAIONJI's right hand, and was assigned as the first executive secretary to Kyoto University.
文相秘書官時代の中川は、西園寺の右腕として京都帝国大学（現在の京都大学）創設に関わり、京都大学初代事務局長に取り立てられている。