CIU was founded in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan, Iraq, in 2002.  to provide local students with access to international education without the need to study abroad, thereby reducing the financial burden on students and their families. In 2022, QIU added new programmes franchised , further diversifying its educational portfolio.

The university provides a wide range of scientific programmes, including those affiliated with UTM and UiTM, across several departments. These programmes are intended to provide students with a variety of educational options based on their interests and career objectives.