The company is wholly owned by the Ministry of Education and Research, and the universities of Oslo, Bergen, Tromsø, NTNU and NMBU appoint the board of directors.

Despite its name, it is not a university (a status that can only be conferred by the government under certain conditions to larger institutions), but a state-owned enterprise involved in research and some university-level education.

The main idea behind establishing UNIS was that the unique geographic location of the island permits the study of Arctic sciences in situ, right outside the company walls.

[3] Those projects are also instrumental for the enrollment of master and PhD students – UNIS does not accept its own graduates for those courses and requires potential candidates to present a letter of support from their home institution.

The new Svalbard Science Centre, designed by Jarmund/Vigsnæs architects, was officially opened on April 26, 2006, by the King and the Queen of Norway.

[12] Before 2021 most students at UNIS used to live in five renovated mining barracks in Nybyen, a settlement on the southern outskirts of Longyearbyen (30–40 minutes by foot).

[14] This led to the construction of a new student housing Elvesletta, completed in the summer of 2021 and located in the city center, which allowed to stop using Nybyen.

[16] Because UNIS activities include fieldwork carried out on boats, snowmobiles or on foot in a harsh environment, all new students and staff members are required to present a self-declaration confirming that they are in good health.

Due to nature being easily accessed in the Arctic, outdoor sports and hiking are popular recreational activities for many students.