After the accomplishment of several legislative and administrative developments, the university officially began its educational function the 1st of March, 1948 with 20 students.

Later during the 1950s and 1960s were added the petroleum and metallurgical engineering as well as the school of health sciences with programs in medicine, nursing, bacteriology, nutrition, physical therapy and social work.

It also possesses a second campus, which hosts the faculty of Health in close proximity to the University Hospital of Santander, and a building known as the Sede Bucarica, which is a national heritage monument.

The Colombian Institute of Petroleum and the National Center for Research in agrarian industry and tropical medicine are part of the university.

Additionally, the university has 94 research laboratories, has its own press publisher (PublicacionesUIS), and it is the main academic center associated with the Colombian Petroleum Company ECOPETROL.