South Eastern University

The establishment of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka and its predecessor, the South Eastern University College of Sri Lanka, no doubt fulfilled the long felt needs of the people of the South eastern region. The birth of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka also coincided with more positive thinking and policy of the Government to broad - base University education further, by extending it to periphery and less developed regions in the country such as the South Eastern region. But it was due to certain special and unfortunate circumstances in the country caused by the on - going militancy at that time and civil unrest in the North and East of the country, which actually hastened its establishment. When the militancy and civil strife in the North forced out the Muslim staff and students of the University of Jaffna, ad-hoc arrangements were made to accommodate them mainly at the Eastern University at Vantharumulai in Batticaloa district. But owing to deteriorating communal harmony between the Tamils and Muslims and several unfortunate incidents, which took place in that region, the Muslim staff and students were compelled to leave the Eastern University too, with their studies abruptly interrupted. This problem promptly took up to the notice of the Government to find a lasting solution. The government, which was already keen to expand university education to the less developed region, recognized the need for immediate relief.