The understanding of “research” in Auroville is closely tied to the community’s guiding philosophy of an evolutionary, spiritualised transformation of self, society and the world – the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and The Mother. It is also informed by the community’s commitment to transformative experimentation, which stems from its original ideals.

Every year many researchers come to do academic research in Auroville, usually in pursuit of a PhD or other degree. We are happy to receive them as Auroville is an experiment for all of humanity. Over the years, we have noticed that some things are good to know and do before coming to Auroville. Here is a short overview of how you can approach a research project in Auroville.

The Auroville Research Platform supports fertile cooperation between visiting researchers and Auroville by providing a point of contact and resource centre for researchers interested in our community. We offer various resources to ensure that your research is original, relevant and of some utility for Auroville, and that it can be executed with a strong understanding of the Auroville context.

The international township of Auroville is governed by an act of the Indian Parliament, which established the Auroville Foundation in 1988.