In 1948, Costa Rica was the first country in the modern world to abolish its army. In that tradition, efforts to establish the University for Peace began at the United Nations under the leadership of the President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Carazo. On 5 December 1980, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolution 35/55 which sets out in its annex the International Agreement for the Establishment of the University for Peace. The Charter of the University forms part of that agreement.

Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, is the Honorary President of the University for Peace.

As part of the continuing process of United Nations reform, former Secretary-General Annan took a number of measures since early 1999 to reorganize, strengthen and internationalize more fully the University for Peace so as to enable it to contribute more effectively to the peace and security objectives of the United Nations.

Dr. Julio María Sanguinetti, former President of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay on two occasions, is the President of the Council of the University for Peace, and Ambassador Mohamed Sahnoun, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General in Geneva, is the Vice-President.

The Council has defined an innovative programme of education, training and research for peace, focused on key issues, including conflict-prevention, human security, human rights, environmental security and post-conflict rehabilitation.