Andhra University is not just one of the oldest educational institutions in the country but is also the first to be conceived as a residential and teaching-cum-affiliating University, mainly devoted to post-graduate teaching and research.
The people of the State have an emotional attachment to the institution since it came into being after a prolonged and collective struggle of the Telugu elite for a University in the educationally backward northern Circars and Ceded districts of the erstwhile Madras Presidency.
The University Presently is Offering 313 Courses in Arts, Commerce, Management, Science & Technology, Engineering, Law, Pharmacy, and Education. The University has five constituent colleges and four AU Campuses. The Colleges of Arts and Commerce is the biggest constituent college in the University with 26 Departments offering 42 courses including four Diploma Courses. The College of Science and Technology has 21 Departments, which offer 63 Courses including one PG Diploma. The College of Engineering has 15 Departments offering Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Research Programmes. The College of Law has been identified as an advanced Center in Law by UGC. The college of Pharmaceutical Sciences is the first of its kind in South India, which is offering one UG Programme and six PG Programmes, besides Research Programmes leading to Ph.D. Degree. The AU campus at Kakinada (East Godavari District) has five Departments and the AU Campus at Etcherla (Srikakulam Dist) has Eleven Departments. The AU Campus at Tadepalli Gudem has four departments and AU Campus at Vizianagaram has five Departments.
The University is spread over a sprawling campus of 422 acres dotted with 121 buildings of Academic, Administrative, and support services with a plinth area of about 20 lakhs sq.ft., and 324 staff quarters. Presently the University caters to the Educational needs of five green districts of Andhra Pradesh namely Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Vizianagaram, and Srikakulam.
The University campus is having 23 hostels for men which can accommodate more than 3200 students and 10 hostels exclusively for women with a capacity of more than 2000 seats. Two Hostels are specially constructed for foreign students. The University has also two Residential Health Centres one on the south campus and the other on the north campus and a home Dispensary. The University has four Guest Houses, Central Canteen and four canteens at various locations, Press and Publication division, Women’s Waiting Halls, Faculty Club, and Schools for Employees’ Children.
The University is also having student services and welfare centers on the campus like the post and Telegraph office, Banking facilities, University employment, a Guidance bureau, training, and placement center, and a sports complex including a Gymnasium Hall.
The other infrastructural facilities available in the University include Academic Staff College, Computer Centre, and Press & Publications, division. The University is also having 25 Research centers/institutions on the campus Agro- The economic research Centre, the Centre for Religious studies, the Centre for Women s Studies, Delta Studies Institute, the Institute of public sector management, the Institute for Yoga and Consciousness and Population Research Centre, OASTC, Bay of Bengal, etc.,
The University has started a school of Distance Education on the campus in 1972. It offers Courses ranging from Certificate Courses to Post Graduate and Professional Courses. The School of Distance Education presently offers 4 UG Programs, 18 PG Programs, 5 Certification Courses, 9 PG Diploma Courses, 15 Professional Courses, and 7 Collaborative Courses through Distance Education Mode. The School has 35 study centers across the State. The enrolment in UG, PG, and Professional Programmes in the School of Distance Education is about 80,000 students. The School has 23 permanent faculty. It is Equipped with the latest infrastructure.
The University has well-experienced and export faculty known worldwide for their research contributions. There are 354 Professors and 198 Associates. Professors and 115 Asst. Professors serving the University. Organization of International and National events are a regular feature of the University. There is more than 2500 support staff working at the University.
The alumni of the University occupy important positions in government administration, Industry, and research organizations within and outside the country. The Government of Andhra Pradesh has appointed the professors of the University as chairman and vice-chairman of the APSCHE and presently ten Universities had Vice-chancellors from Andhra University.
The University has recently organized the 95 th session of the Indian Science Congress, from 3 rd to 7 th January 2008. The Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the Congress and in his address, he referred to the University as a magnificient University and has all appreciation for the way the mega event was Organized.
There are 365 affiliated colleges spread across five districts under the territorial jurisdiction of Andhra University. The enrolment in Affiliated Colleges is about one Lakh.