The primary aim of the IUS was to defend the rights and interests of students to promote improvement in their welfare and standard of education and to prepare them for their tasks as democratic citizens.

[8] From its earliest inception, the IUS was marked by a fundamental schism: "The spirit of [post-war] co-operation and the desire to prevent a resurgence of fascism in Europe brought together otherwise divergent groups.

[11][12] Notable among these founders was the United States National Student Association (USNSA or NSA)[12] though "Anglo-Saxons, Scandinavians and Dutch wielded the greatest influence [in the ISC]".

[21] It was well known from the outset that the IUS was funded by Soviet and Czech government contributions:[24] "The cost of international meetings, large-scale publications, and the other activities in which they engage, are beyond the financial resources of university students"[25]However, the IUS's inability to win leadership in left-wing student movements in Europe despite its many activities caused the Soviet Union to re-evaluate its support.

[17][26] As a consequence of this stance, the organization became detached from its student base and was circumvented by grassroots movements in, e.g. the planning of international anti-war demonstrations in relation to the Vietnam War.

[46] In August 2003, the International Union of Students marked a comeback by calling for a worldwide day of protest against the inclusion of Higher Education in the WTO's General Agreement on Trade in Services.

The big communist front outfits that fought propaganda wars, awash with cash and stuffed with spies, have fizzled away in a mixture of apathy and swindles.

This week's court-enforced auction of a hulking concrete pile in the heart of Prague belonging to one of them, the International Union of Students, was halted amid squabbles among its dozens of creditors"[48]The IUS had the following members:[49]