The International Symposium on Advances in Technology Education (ISATE) event started in 2007 as an international academic exchange between ten engineering colleges (known as Kosen in Japan) in the Kyushu and Okinawa districts of Japan, and three polytechnics in Singapore. Its aim was to enhance the quality of Engineering Education in each participating institution. 

In 2010, all the other Kosen institutions of Japan joined the symposium under the initiative of National Institute of Technology (NIT). In 2011, two more polytechnics from Singapore joined this international exchange effort as organisers. In 2013, Nagaoka University of Technology and Toyohashi University of Technology also joined the symposium. Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) of Vocational Training Council (VTC) officially joined to become one of the ISATE Organisers in 2017, helping to expand the scope of ISATE to its present state. 

ISATE 2021 will be the first ISATE to be organized outside Asia.