T.E.I. of Thessaly was established as a tertiary education institution in 1983 (under Act 1404/83), along with all Greek T.E.I.s which replaced the existent Higher Technical & Vocational Centres.

In 2001 (under Act 2916/2001) all Technological Educational Institutions were established as Higher Education institutions along with the universities, in compliance with the Bolognia declaration. According to Act 3549/2007 Higher Education in Greece consists of two parallel sections:

• The university section comprising all Universities, Polytechnics and the Athens School of Fine Arts
• The technological section comprising all Technological Educational Institutions and the Higher School of Pedagogy & Technological Education

Mission of T.E.I.s, as well as all Higher Education institutions, is:

• to produce and transmit knowledge through research and education and to promote arts and culture.
• to contribute to the shaping of responsible citizens, capable of dealing with all fields of human endeavour, based on their scientific, professional and cultural adequacy while having respect for justice, freedom, democracy and solidarity.
• to properly respond to meeting the social, cultural, educational and developmental needs of society with dedication to the principles of viable development and social cohesion.
• to provide the necessary environment for the development and dissemination of new knowledge and the promotion of new researchers, through cooperation with other research bodies in Greece and/or abroad, participating in the utilization of knowledge and human resources for the welfare of both the country and the world society.
• to contribute to the implementation of equality, equal rights and equal opportunities practices between the two sexes.

In order to accomplish their mission all Higher Education Institutions ought to assure and improve the quality of the services offered and disseminate all information regarding their activities to the community, ensuring the highest possible transparency.