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.