IEK was established in 1992 as a type of educational institution specifically to provide adult vocational education and training (VET) at the post-secondary education level (Greek: ) considered to be a body of "non-formal education" (). It is not part of higher education (HE), nor taken as part of an undergraduate degree. With the law 4763/2020 Government Gazette 254/A/21-12-2020, IEK belongs to "formal education" () and IEK graduates having Diploma of Vocational Education and Training at HQF level 5, after successful specific entrance examinations (), allows to them admission into the higher education to an undergraduate programme relevant to their IEK specialty. IEK is a comprehensive (i.e. no entry examinations are required) institution.