GENERAL INFORMATION
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
Assumption University was initially originated from Assumption Commercial College in 1969 as an autonomous higher education institution under the name of Assumption School of Business. In 1972, with the approval of the Ministry of Education, it was officially established as "Assumption Business Administration College" or ABAC. In May 1975, it was accredited by the Ministry of University Affairs. In 1990, it was granted new status as “Assumption University” by the Ministry of University Affairs.
BACKGROUND OF ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY
St.Louis Marie De Montfort
A Pilgrim at The Tomb of St. Louis Marie De Montfort “You know that I am very indebted to this Saint and to his Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin. Today because my pastoral visit has for the most part as its theme the sacrament of baptism, I would like to highlight the fact that, in the mind of St. Louis, the whole spiritual life flows directly from the sacrament of holy baptism as is shown by an important passage of the Act of Consecration to Jesus by the hands of Mary, written in his own precise wording”.
These are the words spoken by the Pope in the parish church of Saint-Laurent-sur-Sèvre, during his visit on 19th September 1996 to the tombs of Saint Louis Marie de Montfort and Blessed Marie Louise Trichet. Several times before this, the Pope had recalled that his reading of the True Devotion had been a decisive turning-point in his life, and that Montfort’s spirituality had brought him to understand that genuine Marian devotion, far from distracting us from Christ, is on the contrary rooted in the mystery of Christ and can only towards him.
OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES
PHILOSOPHY
In loyalty to its Christian mission, Assumption University stands for
• The inculcation of respect for the three institutions of the Nation: Religion, Country, the King and a democratic way of life.
• The belief that a man justifies himself and his existence by the nobility of his work: LABOR OMNIA VINCIT
• The commitment to be a light that leads men towards the true source of all knowledge and life: LUX VERITAS
MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION
English is the officially approved medium of instruction at Assumption University. Five courses are in the Thai language but only for Thai speaking students. Students whose native tongue is not Thai follow the same courses in English.
ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION AT ABAC
(BRO. MARTIN'S COLLECTION)
SYMBOLS
Sedes Sapientiae : The Seat of Wisdom
It is a tradition handed down for centuries that Christians venerate the Mother of Christ as “the Seat of Wisdom”. (Sedes Sapientiae)
According to Christian belief, Christ is the wisdom seated on the Throne. This implies, on the one hand, that the Mother of Christ is the Dwelling Place of the Supreme Wisdom of all science.
On the other hand, the university is the Alma Mater, or our Mother who is also the “Dwelling Place of Knowledge”. In this context, “Assumption” which, besides its religious meaning in glorification of the Mother of Christ, has yet another meaning in Thai, namely ” the Abode of Abiding Knowledge” Rightly, “Assumption University” is the Seat of Wisdom.
Ashoka Tree
The Assumption University has adopted the Ashoka Tree as its symbol. The Ashoka Tree has as its scientific name “Polyalthea longifolia Benth & Hook. f. var. pandurata” of a Anonanceae Family, a native plant of India and Sri Lanka.
The Rationale behind the choice of the Ashoka Tree The reasons why the University has taken it as its symbol are the following:
1. The Ashoka Tree is an ever-green tree. This fact signifies freshness, coolness, and constancy, unwavering with the turning of seasons andthe changes of time. Thus, it means that the University is determined to fulfill its mission, giving emphasis to academic excellence together with quality and virtues.
2. The Ashoka Tree has a most beautiful form, majestically tall, like a stupa.
3. The Ashoka Tree is a tree with a beneficial name, because it derives from an Indian word “Ashok”, after the name of King Ashok, the Great, the most well known king during Buddha’s time, full of wisdom both in the secular and religious realms.
4. Lastly, it is the tree first brought from India into Thailand in 1957 by the St.Gabriel Foundation of Thailand, patrons of this university (by Bro. John Mary). This first tree was planted in the compound of St. Gabriel’s College, and the Forestry Department of Thailand named it “St. Gabriel Ashoka” on 15th December 1969.
Botanic Features of the Ashoka Tree The Ashoka Tree is an ever green tree, of narrow-top can form and majestically tall. The bark is grey; its color becomes darker near the extreme top of the trunk, covered with leaves from the bottom to the top, so thick that the trunk’s characteristics can hardly be clearly visible. Its leaves are lanceolate, about 0.5-0.7 inches wide, and 4-9 inches long. The widest part of the leaf is near the base; its rim is smooth, but twisted into a tide-like form. Its flower is white greenish shade, without odor, about 1.5-1.75 inches wide. Its fruit is ellipsoid, about 0.5 inches wide and 0.75 inches long, with smooth shiny skin; its color turns yellow, red, then finally black, when it is ripe. Normally, the ripening of the fruit OCCURS between July and August every year.
VISION
Assumption University of Thailand envisions itself as:
• An international community of scholars,
• Enlivened by Christian inspiration,
• Engaged in the pursuit of Truth and Knowledge,
• Serving human society, especially through the creative use of interdisciplinary approaches and technology.
Vision 2000 for The Assumption University Graduates Assumption University of Thailand envisions its graduates as:
• Healthy and open-minded persons, characterized by personal integrity, an independent mind, and creative thinking,
• Professionally competent, willing to exercise responsible leadership for economic progress in a just society,
• Able to communicate effectively with people from other nations and to participate in globalization.
MISSION
Assumption University, an International Catholic University, is committed to be the light that leads learners and its stakeholders from all parts of the world towards wisdom, Truth, and Christian values and to discover “Treasure Within” themselves. Via effective teaching and research pedagogies of international standards as well as community engagement, the University aims to form individuals to be intellectually competent, morally sound, and spiritually enriching, accountable, righteous, and service-minded citizens; excelling in serving communities comprising of diverse cultures.
COAT OF ARMS
The coat of arms of the Brothers of St. Gabriel, which is AU’s logo, is shown and engraved on many places but the biggest and noticeable one is on the wall at a stairway in the Hall of Fame.
It depicts four signs with meaningful content: the ship in the sea symbolizing the sea of life with difficulties that we have to struggle through; the DS Cross which represents Divinity and Science; A.M. and the white lilies to remind students to love their institution as their Alma Mater (Dear Mother) and be as pure in their thoughts, words and mind as the white lilies; and the star and the boat which symbolizes spiritual hope. The four symbols are framed by a shield under which is AU’s motto “LABOR OMNIA VINCIT”, which means: We can overcome all difficulties through working hard.
Brothers of st.Gabriel
The name “the Brothers of St.Gabriel” reminds us of those Brothers who sacrificed their lives, and their mother’s land, in order to help educate and develop our Thai children to grow in the right path. “LABOR OMNIA VINCIT” is the motto of our university. “We can overcome all difficulties through working hard,” or, as the Latin proverb says : “Work conquers all things,”
"Life-Boat”
“DS” (read “D and S”)
A.M. and The White Lilies
The Star and The Man In a Boat
“Life-Boat” Symbolized By “The Ship in The Sea”
“The ship in the Sea” symbolizes that we have to keep on struggling and facing different difficulties in the sea of life, just like the ship or the boat that fights stormy wind, steamy sun and rainy sea in order NOT to capsize in the middle of the sea. This should always remind us that “Life is a Struggle” or “ To Live is to Struggle” against the problems and difficulties and not to give up.
“DS” (read “D and S”)
Cross In The Middle With The Cross
“D” or Divinity represents “Religion”. We all need religion in life and mind. The Cross is the symbol of “love” and sacrifice “just as Jesus sacrificed his life for our love and he redeemed our sins as he said: “There is no other love greater than sacrificing our life for others.”
“S” or “Science” means “Knowledge,” which is the root of man’s ability to reason. Everyone should always aim at gaining more knowledge. the more we learn about mundane knowledge, the more we should also learn about “Dharma” or religious, ethical virtues.
Moreover, D|S also comes from the French phrase, “Dieu Seul,” which means “ALL WE DO IS FOR THE GRACE OF GOD ONLY.” It is to remind us of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, the founding Father of the Brothers of St. Gabriel’s motto. With this powerful motto, we have the will to work without yielding to difficulties, at studies as well as at work. We all uphold it up to this day.
A.M. and The White Lilies
“A.M.” is abbreviated from a Latin word, “ALMA MATER” meaning literally” Dear Mother,” in Latin and indicating “MOTHER COLLEGE” which symbolizes that
our institution is like our “Alma Mater”, our own birth place and as a part of our own families. We should love our institution as much as we should love our own parents.
Moreover, “A.M” is also abbreviated from “AVE MARIA” (in Latin), the name of Jesus’ Mother. This means that we should love our own Mother with our heart and soul. And the beautiful snow-white lilies are symbols to remind us that we should be clean and sincere with all our thoughts, words and minds, wherever we are
The Star and The Man In a Boat
“The Star and the Boat” symbolizes “Spiritual Hope”, meaning that religion is “the light of Dharma or Absolute Truth” and all the knowledge or sciences we have learned from the institution is “ the Light of the Intelligence”. Altogether they keep conduct and intelligence on track so we are not lost or capsized in the middle of the sea of life. “The man in the boat “reflects us, ourselves, rowing or guiding our own “boat of life.”
“The Shield” That Frames The “Four Symbols”
The “Shield” that frames the “Four Symbols” is the “COAT OF ARMS” which stands for “HONOUR,” or “PRIDE and DIGNITY”. It also represents the HONOUR, DIGNITY, PRIDE AND PRAISE that our institution has received from the King who reigns over the Kingdom.
The Olive Branches
The wreath of the “Olive Branches” stands for “Victory or "Success." (In ancient times, in Greek History, the athletic winner received a wreath of olive branches from the king) Or, this represents " a wreath of high honour" to reming us that we should do good deeds to uphold the honour and fame of our beloved institution or "ALMA MATER" forever.
AU UNIQUENESS AND IDENTITY
ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY EDUCATING INTELLIGENCES AND ACTIVE MINDS TO CHANGE THE WORLD
UNIQUENESS AND IDENTITY
AN INTERNATIONAL CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY INCULCATING 3Es: ETHICS, ENGLISH, ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
UNIQUENESS
An International Catholic University
CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY
Catholic Values
Catholic Symbols
Catholic Leader
Liturgical Services
INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
International Programs
International Scholars
International Students
International Recognition
Learning Environment
IDENTITY
ETHICS
Integrity
Social consciousness & responsibility
Discipline
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
Leadership
Management knowledge
Labor Omnia Vincit
ASSUMPTION UNIVERSITY'S UNIQUENESS
(An International Catholic University) ICU
Catholic Leader
Catholic Symbols
Catholic Values
International University
Liturgical Services
CORE VALUES
C = CATHOLIC SPIRIT
A = ACCOUNTABILITY
R = RIGHTEOUSNESS
E = EXCELLENCE
AU STUDENTS' IDENTITY 3Es
ENGLISH PROFICIENCY
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
Leadership
Management Knowledge
Labor Omnia Vincit
ETHICS
Integrity
Social consciousness & responsibility
Discipline
IDENTITY GUIDELINES
To maintain uniformity and standard practice, whenever required, all concerned personnel are kindly requested to download the newly revised University or Faculty Logos by visiting the following website:
The best way to raise public awareness of Assumption University is to communicate a cohesive identity through consistent use of graphic form and language. However we also recognize the need of the various departments, offices and facilities that comprise AU to express their own individual identities. There is a need to maximize both consistency and flexibility.
