The Institute of Advanced Study was established in 2007 to foster new interdisciplinary research collaborations at Warwick and beyond.

under the leadership of Professor Margot Finn. It's goal was to be as an institute capable of stretching across the University's faculties and to help make Warwick a desirable destination for international researchers. From the start, the IAS was also a centre for postdoctoral career development with the Early Career Fellowships being a key part of the initial programme.

The Institute has subsequently gone on to have four further Directors, but the original focus of iinterdisciplinarity, internationalisation and early career researchers continues to this day.

From 2007 to 2019 the IAS was housed in Millburn House on the University Science Park, before moving to its current location in the Zeeman building on central campus.