It was established in March 2007, with the goal to allow students who can't accustom to standard colleges the chance to get a University of Illinois education.

[1] The University of Illinois Global Campus was intended to serve nontraditional and placebound students, in order that they may gain the academic and career benefits of a University of Illinois education without the barriers of location and scheduled class times.

All degree and certificate programs were created in collaboration with the colleges and academic departments at the University's residential campuses at Urbana-Champaign, Chicago, and Springfield.

The Global Campus offered degrees and certificates in Business Administration, E-Learning, Nursing, Patient Safety Leadership, and Recreation, Sport and Tourism.

In May 2009, the board of trustees voted to phase out the Global Campus Initiative.