Ashoka University is named after Emperor Ashoka (c. 304 – 232 BC) who represents India’s highest values and ideals. Emperor Ashoka’s dhamma revolved around liberal thought and education. Having personally undergone a self-transformation, Emperor Ashoka went on to spread his ideas far and wide across Asia. 

Drawing from Emperor Ashoka’s life of learning and transformation, Ashoka University provides a holistic education that is liberal, multidisciplinary, and interdisciplinary, offering a diverse and inclusive space for its students to think deeply and critically, learn across disciplinary boundaries, express themselves creatively, and communicate with meaning to cause impact and change. Students are encouraged to explore ideas, engage in research, and focus on values and ideals of the highest order to experience self-transformation within the duration of their education and henceforth. 

The expanding universe of multidisciplinary education is depicted through an intersection of arcs that reflect the creation and synthesis of diverse knowledge as portrayed in the Ashoka University logo.

Ashoka University is a pioneer in its focus on providing a liberal education at par with the best in the world. The aim at Ashoka is to help students become well-rounded individuals who can think critically about issues from multiple perspectives, communicate effectively, and become leaders with a commitment to public service. An Ashoka education carries a strong emphasis on foundational knowledge, thorough academic research based on rigorous pedagogy, and hands-on experience with real-world challenges. The 2800 plus students on campus, drawn from 28 states and over 287 cities in India and 21 other countries, receive a world-class interdisciplinary education through undergraduate and post-graduate programmes led by internationally renowned faculty.