In 1996, Gifu Prefecture established the Gifu Prefectural International Academy of Media Arts and Sciences as a European-type vocational school, based on its policy of advanced information technology and the concept of research and educational institution as a base for fostering leaders of industrial culture together with Softopia Japan.

The Art and Media Laboratory Department produced media masters, and the Multimedia Studio Department educated information specialists. The Art and Media Laboratory Department had produced students from all over Japan who had finished their undergraduate and were aiming to start their own businesses or engage in expressive activities in a new cross-disciplinary research field. While the Multimedia Studio Department produced many students from local high schools and the general public from various fields to learn expressive techniques using information technology. In addition, many students who had graduated from the studio course then moved onto the laboratory courses.

In 2001, the Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences was established as a unique educational and research institution with one major and one graduate school for a small number of students (capacity of 20). The following year in 2002 the Art and Media Laboratory Department was abolished.

The name IAMAS is an acronym taken from the English names of both schools “Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences” and “International Academy of Media Arts and Sciences”. Students came from all over Japan to attend IAMAS.

At the time of the Institute’s opening, the Cultural Media Center (CMC) was established as a subsidiary organization to engage in publishing and holding exhibitions both inside and outside IAMAS. Media Design became the school's driving focus. In 2010, it was decided that IAMAS’ goals should include promotion of local Industries, and the name of the CMC was changed to the Research Center for Industrial Culture (RCIC). While tackling activities both creative and industrial, IAMAS continues to transmit new media creation to the region and the nation.

In 2011, the International Academy of Media Arts and Sciences was shut down as part of Gifu Prefecture’s "Action Plan," closing the doors on the school’s 16 year history.

The Institute of Advanced Media Arts and Sciences Department of Media Creation, while using cutting-edge media to get the region involved in our activities and striving to propose and implement new shapes of future society and culture, has taken the first steps on its new path as IAMAS.