Reykjavík Umbra Institute is an independent institute of higher learning dedicated to rigorous, practical study and research. Founded in 1972 by a group of engineers and legal scholars, the Institute set out to offer an education that joins academic depth with real-world application.

The Institute awarded its first diplomas in 1976. Over the following decades it grew steadily, adding new programs as the needs of its students and the wider community changed. In 1994 it opened its current home, a converted harbor warehouse, and in 2011 it reorganized its teaching into five faculties.