BURAPHA UNIVERSITY

History

            Burapha University is a public university located in Bangsaen, Chonburi, about
100 km. from Bangkok, in the Eastern Seaboard Area of Thailand. The campus covers
an area of 256 acres. It was first established as the Bangsaen College of Education
in 1955-the first tertiary education institution ever established outside of Bangkok- to
produce graduates in teacher education. In 1984, when the Prasarnmitr College of
Education in Bangkok was upgraded to university level and named Srinakharinwirot
University, Bangsaen College of Education was included as a branch campus and
started to offer several other degrees besides teacher education. In 1990, due to
the need for more college-trained personnel to implementation the Government's
Eastern Seaboard Development Project to industrialize the area, the Bangsaen
Campus was upgraded to full university level and renamed Burapha University,
which means "University of the East".

         Burapha University has rapidly expanded since then. Enrollment in 2006 was
approximately 20,000 students, with over 800 teaching staff and over 500 general
staff. There are 17 faculties and colleges: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Education, Nursing, Public Health, Science, Engineering, Fine and Applied Arts, Science
and Arts, Marine Technology, Medicine, Graduate School, Gems College, College of
Transport and Logistics, Graduate School of Commerce, Graduate School of Public
Administration, College of Sport Science, International College, and Abhaibhubejhr
College of Thai Traditional Medicine. In addition, the University also has a number
of advanced research and service centers, such as the Library Center, the Institute
of Marine Science, the Academic Services Center, the Computer Center, the Language
Center, the Eastern Center of Art and Culture, the University Hospital, etc.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Burapha University has offered more than 90 programs of study, 48 programs
of Master's degree, doctoral degree, and many short-course training programs
per year. More Ph.D programs in many disciplines are being set up and will be
offered in the near future.