Established in 2005 as a not-for-profit corporation, the Institute for International Urban Development regroups the academics and professionals who created and ran the Center for Urban Development Studies (CUDS) at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design from 1987 to 2005.  The Center was internationally recognized for its applied research, expert advice and technical assistance to policy makers, and its capacity building programs. Its activities were funded by governments, foundations and international organizations, including the Christensen Fund, the Ford Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank, The Soros Foundation, UNICEF, USAID and the World Bank. Decision-makers and senior professionals from 52 countries attended its International Education Programs, sent by international, national, regional and municipal agencies as well as private organizations and universities.

The Institute is registered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a non-profit organization. It is governed by a Board of Directors, composed of its officers and donors and was created for the purposes of conducting action research, providing technical assistance and offering specialized training to improve urban management. Its objectives are:

The Institute is accredited with UN-ECOSOC and participates in specialized international networks concerned with shaping policy on urban development, including:

• The UN-Habitat Best Practices and Local Leadership Program;
• The Microcredit Summit;
• The Cultural Heritage in Development Network;
• The UN-Habitat Global Research Network on Human Settlements.