The Eastern University, Sri Lanka, was established on the 01st of October 1986 by a University Order dated 26th September 1986 issued under Section 2 of the Universities Act No: 16 of 1978. The University was preceded by the Batticaloa University College established on 01st August 1981 which was started in the buildings of the Vantharumoolai Madya Maha Vidyalayam. In addition, over 100 acres of land have been added to the original Campus. Student hostels and staff quarters have been constructed on this land and many new buildings are planned. The Batticaloa University College began with two faculties: The Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Agriculture and both these faculties were affiliated to the University of Peradeniya. Two new faculties viz. the Faculty of Commerce & Management with the Departments of Economics, Commerce & Management, and the Faculty of Cultural Studies with the Departments of Arabic, Islamic Studies and Fine Arts were established in 1988. The Faculty of Cultural Studies was then expanded to include the Department of Languages and the Department of Social Science and renamed the Faculty of Arts & Culture in 1991.

Faculty of Health-Care Sciences at Batticaloa

The Faculty of Health -Care Sciences was established in November 2005 by the Gazette Notification. The initial programme conducted by EUSL in Human Health Sciences was the Post Basic Diploma in Nursing. The year 2006 was significant year to Faculty of Health-Care Sciences. This year was also the Silver Jubilee year of EUSL. The Inauguration function of FHCS has taken place in this year. The 1st Batch of students reading for Medicine was enrolled and the course commenced on June 2006. Another significant year for the Faculty is the year 2008. The first batch of students for BSc. Nursing was enrolled and the course was commenced in this year. Furthermore the Faculty also conducts BSc. Nursing (External) degree to those who were Staff Nurses qualified from Colleges of Nursing in Sri Lanka. Currently 02 batches of students are following this programme.

 Location

The main administrative block of the Eastern University, Sri Lanka (senate building) located in Vantharumoolai which is 15 km away from Batticaloa town and four faculties Vz: Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Science, Faculty of Commerce & Management and Faculty of Arts & Culture are housed here. Faculty of Health Care Sciences is situated 15 km away from Vantharumooali in Batticaloa town which is offering MBBS and BSc in Nursing Degrees. Swamy Vipulananda Institute of Aesthetic Studies is situated 3km away from the Faculty of Health Care Sciences in Kallady Uppodai which is offering BFA in Music, Dance, Drama & Theatre Arts and Visual & Technological Arts. Trincomalee campus is located 180 km away from the Vantharumoolai at Konesapuri in Trincomalee district having two faculties & one unit Vz: Faculty of Communication and Business studies, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Siddha Medicine Unit.

At present, Eastern University, Sri Lanka, National Centre of Excellence for Higher Education and Research in the Eastern Province, is making its unified attempt to improve the functions of the University at all levels, to increase student intake by improving and expanding degree programmes both undergraduate and postgraduate, to produce innovative, creative and entrepreneurial graduates equipped with requisite competencies and social skills, to promote research in various disciplines and to make a greater contribution to the development of the region and the country to achieve the objectives of the Vision and Mission of the University.