The Utkal University of culture (UUC) came into existence by virtue of an ordinance promulgated on the 9 June, 1999, which was later replaced by "Utkal University of culture Act 1999’’. It was established as a teaching-cum-affiliating university. It was set up in order to engage itself to preserve, promote, propagate and protect the richness of our cultural values by way of making substantive accomaplishment through study, research, documentation and continuing education. The University was recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on 1 December, 1999, under Sction 2(f) of the U.G.C Act, 1956. It has also been accredited by the Association of India Universities (ATU) since 1 April 2000.

The University seeks to spread the benefits of culture and education The mission is to evolve policies and programmes which would enable to make the University a distinct one by fostering our composite culture through qualitative expansion of academic studies and researches. Such activities would necessarily focues on various relevant and frontier areas of culture and development. The core objective is to inculcate in the lptureminds of the fiture generation, a world perspective wit h a visible, Perceptible local identity through comprehensive dissemination and arousing of cultural consciousness.