SAIIER 2021:Introduction

Auroville Cleanup Group		SAIIER office
Introduction

Sri Aurobindo International Institute of Educational Research (SAIIER) is the umbrella organization for education in Auroville. Unique on earth, Auroville is an ongoing experiment in human unity where the aim is that residents let the Divine, the true core of individuality and of existence, become a living presence in all activities of life. Auroville’s charter places education in the centre of human life: “a place of unending education, of constant progress and a youth that never ages.”

The care and upbringing of children, their formal and informal education, constant further studies and self-improvement are an important part of the Auroville experience. SAIIER has been holding this trust and responsibility for the last 37 years.

SAIIER has 42 sub-units, including schools for children of Aurovilians, schools for children from Auroville's surrounding villages, centres for physical education, for study of Sri Aurobindo’s Savitri, of higher and ancient Sanskrit and for the arts, libraries and a Teachers' Center. SAIIER supports these units and their activities through a central administration, coordinating between them, responding to the needs of the community and carrying forward new initiatives in the field of education.

SAIIER receives a yearly grant from the Ministry of Human Resource Development (now Education Department), Government of India, and grants under CSR funds from Indian corporations as well as private donations and grants for continuous support of its sub-units. These grants support the school activities, research in social sciences, new construction projects in Auroville, and new and interesting projects proposed by members of the Auroville community.

This report covers the activities of the year of SAIIER sub-units as described by the Aurovilians working there. It also includes reports from each of the short-term projects and activities SAIIER supported this year.