The Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, J&K has been established through an Act No. XVIII of 2005 dated: 7th November 2005 passed by J&K State Legislature and notified by the State Government, through Jammu & Kashmir Government Gazette dated: 11-11-2005. While the university started functioning in November, 2005 the teaching programme was started in July 2006. The Chancellor of the University is the Lieuteutant Governor of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the executive authority of the University is its Executive Council with the Vice Chancellors of University of Jammu, University of Kashmir and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University as members. The University is accredited by NAAC with Grade ‘B+’ and is recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC) under Section 2(f) and Section 12(b) of UGC Act. The Technical and nursing programmes offered by the University are approved by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Indian Nursing Council (INC). The University has the membership of Association of Indian Universities (AIU). The University came into existence with a mandate to advance and disseminate knowledge, wisdom and understanding amongst all segments of the society within and outside the State. It is also charged with creating an environment for learning, teaching and research in the sciences, technology, humanities and social sciences and that is in keeping with the highest standards of scholarship and higher education. People belonging to all sections of society are entitled to avail the facilities and opportunities offered by the University and there is no distinction on the basis of class, caste, creed, colour or religion

The University is located in Awantipora, a small picturesque town situated on the main National Highway (NH1A) in Kashmir approximately 30 km south of the capital city of Srinagar and just adjacent to the famed saffron fields. This historically significant town was capital of Kashmir during the reign of Raja Awantivarman. The spectacular campus has the Himalayan mountain range on one side, the Jhelum River on the other and a beautiful grove of almonds cradling the main campus.

In order to supplement and complement the academic cooperative participation within the broad frame work of its vision and objectives and to promote and further the cause of IUST in developmental process of the state, it has established linkages with various Universities and other institutions of higher education across the globe. This among other things includes sharing of mutual facilities, faculty and curricular development programmes, consultancy, training, internship and placement programmes of the students in areas where such facilities may be required. This is of crucial importance in the initial developing stages of the University. Islamic University of Science and Technology signed a tripartite MOU on 20-10-2011 with Delhi UniversiChief Ministerty and University of Kashmir for mutual cooperation for the promotion of academic excellence. IUST has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tokyo University of Foreign Studies Japan (TUFS) in order to achieve its common academic objectives. Besides, facilitating exchange of faculty and students, scholarships to the IUST students under the MoU, TUFS has installed Video Conferencing Equipment enabling the students to take lessons from international experts via video conferencing. Other Universities / Institutions with which effective linkages have been developed include SKUAST-Jammu, University of Jammu, Jamia Hamdard -New Delhi, Bharti Vidyapeeth -New Delhi, Shiv Nadar University, Noida, Chaudhary Charan Singh University - Sirsa.

Moral values particularly refer to the conduct of man towards man in different situations wherein, the human beings face each other at home and in social, professional and economic world. In order to inculcate moral and spiritual values in its students, the University has introduced Moral & Spiritual Studies as a subject in its curriculum. The aim of the initiative is to help the students in character building and to cultivate special traits like patience, tolerance, brotherhood and respect for all. Further, the University endeavours to create an integral Model of Curriculum by imparting quality education to its students in such a conducive environment, which facilitates them to develop a comprehensive personality with ethical values.

Besides, imparting formal education to the younger generation, the University realizes its role for community development especially given its rural setting. We take every opportunity possible to reach out to the local community and seek means and mechanisms to connect to it. In this direction, IUST with the help of many expert individuals / organizations has made various efforts to reach out to the local community and raise awareness, make their grievances reach the authorities, apprise them of the latest technologies and trends to make their work easy and more attractive. So far the University has organised camps for seed distribution, health camps, workshop on new techniques in pottery etc. While identifying the need of modern education to underprivileged children, the university makes efforts at its own level to reach to them in the immediate vicinity of the campus. This is being done under Reach Out And Mentor (ROAM) tutoring program started by the Mantaqi Center for Science and Society. The center has drawn volunteers from students and faculty who teach students of a nearby seminary basic computer courses and other subjects that are part of formal system of education.
The University has also started ‘Pesh Kadam’ a joint initiative of the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and PANOS India in December 2009 which is successfully going on. The capacity of IUST with its department of Journalism and PANOS’ experience in working on radio were brought together in this endeavor for a community based initiative using radio as a tool. The program is aimed to create a space for development of youth in the area, use radio as a tool or communication in voicing issues relevant to the community and to provide a technical training for the journalism students of IUST and youth of Awantipora area. With a full-fledged studio and equipment, the program also acts as a part of a complete and rigorous technical training regime of the University as far as broadcast journalism is concerned. With the support from Ministry of Food Processing, Government of India, University has established Food Processing and Training Centre (FPTC) for training of educated unemployed youth of the state to facilitate them to start their own processing units in rural areas. This will also help entrepreneurs to improve their technological skills. Special training programmes are identified for rural women folk.