The University of Burdwan was set up in 1960 and is located at Rajbati in the district of Bardhaman in West Bengal. It started its operations from 15th June 1960. This University is an affiliating and a teaching institution and comes under the state administration. Thirty undergraduate colleges are affiliated to the University. The territorial jurisdiction of the University extends over five districts, Bardhaman, Hooghly (excluding Serampore subdivision), Bankura, Birbhum and Purulia. The University has several departments under the faculty of Arts, Commerce, Law, Science, and Engineering.

The University of Burdwan is a multidisciplinary university with twenty-two postgraduate departments. It offers courses in disciplines as varied as physical education, foreign languages, computer applications and population education. The University also offers distance education courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The University has also set up a Rural Technology Center. This center provides vocational training and empowers boys and girls of the area. The University also maintains a museum and art gallery at Rajbati, which displays artifacts of prehistoric period.