AIT was established in 1959 to help meet the growing need for advanced engineering education in Asia. In November 1967, under its present name of the Asian Insitute of Technology (AIT), the Institute became an autonoumous international institution empowered to award degrees and diplomas. Presently, AIT offers advanced education in engineering, sciences, planning and management through a range of activities at levess, and intensities from doctoral reserach to short-term training.

At AIT's campus, students from around forty countries, mainly Asian, learn and live together with faculty, research and support staff from as many nations, worldwide. English is the medium of instruction and written work, as well as the official administrative lanaguage.

The Insitute's 400-acre (160 hectare) campus is located 42 kilometers north of Bangkok, Thailand. Here more than 1000 post-graduate students, mostly from Asian countries, and 200 faculty and international staff, foster advanced technological learning to meet the region's need for more and better trained personnel for key positions in private and publics sectors.