Established on a "fast track" over a six month period in 1968, IUPUI was created out of the vision of then Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar, IU President Joseph L. Sutton, Purdue President Frederick L. Hovde, IUPUI's first Chancellor, Maynard K. Hine, and other visionary leaders in the community.

In 1969, IUPUI was formed as a partnership between Indiana University and Purdue University, an effort to bring together all of the Indiana University and Purdue University schools existing in Indianapolis.

By 2005, all IUPUI schools had moved to what is now the IUPUI campus, just two blocks west of the Indiana State Capitol.