Burapha University

Burapha University
มหาวิทยาลัยบูรพา
Motto	Sukho Paññā Paṭilābho; "The acquisition of intellect results in contentment."
Type	Public
Established	July 8, 1955 as Bangsaen College of Education; July 29, 1990 as Burapha University
President	Prof. Sompong Pongthai
Location	Bangsaen, Chonburi, Thailand; 13°17′09″N 100°55′29″E / 13.285895°N 100.924753°E
Affiliations	ASAIHL, AUN
Website	http://www.buu.ac.th

Burapha University (Thai: มหาวิทยาลัยบูรพา) (BUU) is one of Thailand's major public universities located in the coastal town of Bangsaen, Chonburi Province. The 256-acre (104 ha) campus hosts approximately 36,245 students (as of 2009), aided by 992 teaching staff and 300 general employees. The university offers degrees in more than 50 programs of study, including 75 master's programs, three Ed.D. programs, and 20 Ph.D. programs.

BUU two branch campuses. One branch of BUU is in Ampher Ta-Mai, Chantaburi Province. It was set up in 1996 and opened in 2001. Another branch is in Ampher Wattananakorn, Sakaeo Province. It was set up in 1997.

Faculties, colleges, and centers

The university is composed of the faculties of Logistics, Humanities and Social Sciences, Political Science and Law, Management and Tourism, Education, Medicine,Allied Health Science, Nursing, Public Health, Science, Engineering, Fine and Applied Arts, Science and Liberal Arts, and Marine Technology.

There is a Graduate School, Gems College, Graduate School of Commerce, Graduate School of Public Administration, College of Sport Science, College of Research Methodology and Coginitive Science (RMCS) and the International College.

In addition, the university contains service centers such as the Institute of Marine Science, whose aquarium is a major tourist attraction, the Library Center, the Academic Services Center, the Computer Center, and the University Hospital, which provides extensive medical services to the surrounding community.

History

The university began as the Bangsaen College of Education in 1955, the first tertiary educational institution outside of Bangkok established to encourage 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 degrees besides teacher education. In 1990, as a result of the implementation the Thai 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".

Aside from its status as a government university, many students are drawn to the institution due to its location in Bangsaen, a resort destination popular with Thai tourists (particularly day visitors from Bangkok) that remains relatively unknown to foreign visitors.