The East of the Republic has always been characterized by its cultural concern. The first school founded in Venezuela was created in Cumaná in 1515, and from the beginning of the colony, educational activities were developed that greatly influenced the region and led to the creation of studies at a higher level.
The Universidad de Oriente was created on November 21, 1958, by Decree Law No. 459 issued by the Board of Governors chaired by Dr. Edgard Sanabria, being Minister of Education Dr. Rafael Pizani, under the leadership of its Rector founder Dr. Luis Manuel Peñalver. He began his duties on February 12, 1960 in Cumaná, with the Basic Courses; in October of 1961 the Nucleus of Monagas was installed with the School of Agronomic and Petroleum Engineering; in the Nuclei of Bolivar began in January 1962 with the School of Medicine and the School of Geology and Mines, in the Nucleus of Anzoategui began on January 9, 1963 with the School of Engineering and Chemistry, in the Nucleus of Nueva Esparta The Basic Courses began on January 21, 1969.
In its conception, the Universidad de Oriente is defined as a system of Higher Education serving the country with objectives common to other Venezuelan and world universities. However, it is unique in its kind, experimental and autonomous, innovative in the creation of the professional unit of Basic Courses, departmentalization, biannual periods, the system of credit units, intensive courses, etc., developing scientific research, teaching and extension in all aspects of knowledge, which includes its pre and postgraduate educational programs. It is almost an antithesis of the traditional university whose campus is based in the university centers located in the States Anzoátegui, Bolívar, Monagas, Nueva Esparta, and Sucre,
Administratively the maximum authority is the University Council, formed by the rectoral authorities, the Deans of the five nuclei, five representatives of the professors, a student representative of basic courses, two student representatives of the professional courses, a representative of the Ministry of Education and a representative of the graduates, who have the responsibility to assume collegially the orientation and management of the University.
