The coming-together sparked off the formation of the Supervisory and Management Training Association of Singapore (SAMTAS).

The inaugural meeting was held on 29 November 1955 where Mr Loke Wan Tho was named its first President.

In line with the Singapore government's plans to promote industrialisation in the country, these were courses on supervisory skills initiated by the then Ministry of Labour.

The change of name from SAMTAS to MDIS, or the Management Development Institute of Singapore, was made official on 8 February 1984.

The purpose of this move was to give a more professional image and to upgrade the individual membership by allowing the use of designatory letters.

The MDIS Education Trust Fund received its Institution of a Public Character and Charity status in 2002.