[7] The following history to 1988 provides a summary account that relies primarily on the book published by Dundee Institute of Technology in 1989, 'The First Hundred Years: 1888-1988'.

In 1872 Sir David Baxter, 1st Baronet of Kilmaron, died and bequeathed £20,000 (£2.26 million adjusting for inflation) for the establishment of a mechanics' institute in Dundee.

Initially 238 students enrolled and classes were conducted based on the syllabus of the Government Science and Art Department of South Kensington and the City & Guilds of London Institute.

Subjects were primarily scientific and technical although applied art was also taught, and jute spinning and textile design were soon added to the portfolio.

In 1906 a new site in Bell Street, Dundee was purchased to build a larger complex to accommodate a growing student population.

It was only after a lengthy legal battle surrounding this bequest and the right of the existing college to spend the money, that a new scheme was entered into in 1933 permitting the establishment of the Dundee Institute of Art and Technology.

By 1951 the institute was teaching courses that led to examinations for the external degrees of the University of London in pharmacy, mechanical, civil, and electrical engineering.

The campus buildings include the historic Old College buildings of Dundee Business School, the Bernard King Library, scenes of crime teaching facilities, modern computer games labs in the UK Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education, and the Abertay cyberQuarter, a centre housed within the university dedicated to cybersecurity research and development.

The Abertay cyberQuarter opened in June 2022 with they key aim of bringing together students, academics, and organisations to help solve global cybersecurity challenges.

The centre offers a physical space for collaboration and experimentation using digital tools and technologies and also a secure cloud-computing infrastructure for specialist online teaching and learning.

As well as offering businesses access to new talent, the Abertay cyberQuarter provides students with opportunities to work with industry on real-world challenges.

Nevertheless, according to the results of the Research Excellence Framework 2014 (REF2014) published on 18 December 2014,[18] Abertay was the highest ranked modern university in Scotland for 'research intensity'.

[23] Abertay is externally peer-reviewed under the Enhancement-led Institutional Review (ELIR) method by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, Scotland (QAAS), on behalf of the Scottish Funding Council (SFC).

In addition, Modules and Programmes offered at Abertay currently have been accredited by the following professional bodies: Association of Chartered Certified Accountants; Association of International Accountants; British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy; British Computer Society; British Council; British Psychological Society; Chartered Institute of Management Accountants; Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development; Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management; Counselling and Psychotherapy Scotland; Faculty of Advocates; Forensic Science Society; Health and Care Professions Council; Higher Education Academy; Institute of Biomedical Science; Institute of Food Science and Technology Joint Audio Media Education Services; Joint Board of Moderators; Law Society of Scotland; Nursing and Midwifery Council; Royal Society of Chemistry; Skillset; The Independent Game Developers' Association The Research and Knowledge Exchange Strategy 2020-25 was published in March 2020 and groups research at the university into four main themes:[24] The university was established by a statutory instrument The University of Abertay Dundee (Scotland) Order of Council 1994.

The Centre for Excellence is accredited by Skillset[26][27] and has strong links with industrial partners from across the broadcast, interactive and wider digital media sectors.

The original Ensigns Armorial were recorded in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland on 25 July 1953, in the name of Dundee Technical College.

The top left sector is taken from the arms of Sir David Baxter of Kilmaron, who bequeathed a significant sum of money in order to establish the original Dundee Technical Institute in 1888.

The tartan is based on Abertay's promotional colours of dark blue, red, gold and green from its coat of arms.