[1] Based in Zambia's capital of Lusaka, UNIN was the brainchild of United Nations Commissioner for Namibia Seán MacBride, the proposal creating UNIN was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1974.
Treated as a fifth province, Namibia did not have its own tertiary educational system.
The United Nations Council for Namibia under Seán MacBride put forth a plan in February 1974 for a tertiary educational institution for Namibia in Africa, preferably Zambia.
[2] On 26 August 1976 (Namibian Heroes' Day), President of Zambia Kenneth Kaunda formally inaugurated the institute in Lusaka.
[2] Closing in September 1990 (6 months after formal independence was achieved), UNIN's files have been transferred to the archival unit at the University of Namibia.