The University was established as a non residential multi-campus institution. On establishment, the University which was conceived on a Presidential model after Harvard University made impressive landmarks and stamped its name as the first University of Technology and first State University in Nigeria with her main campus at Enugu. Other campuses that were created later were located at Abakiliki, Awka and Nnewi. At inception, only three faculties namely, Engineering, Science and Technology were established at the two functional campuses at Enugu and Awka.
In 1985, there were major re-organisations and policies resulting in the introduction of new programmes and the merging of the University with its sister polytechnic – IMT. The new faculties created then were faculties of Education, Environmental Sciences, Health Sciences, Law, Social Sciences, Management Sciences and Agric Sciences etc.
The two merged institutions operated unsuccessfully under one Interim Joint Council (IJC) with Prof. Onwumechili as the President and Proc. J.C. Ene of IMT as Deputy until December 1986 when it was demerged.
By 1987 the four campuses had kicked off in earnest with Abakaliki campus housing Agric Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, while Awka campus was for students of Basic Applied Sciences, Law and Social Sciences, Nnewi campus catered for Health Sciences comprising Medicine and Dentistry while the main campus in Enugu housed Engineering, Technology, Management Sciences and the rest. Each of the campuses had a Deputy Vice-Chancellor as the administrative head.
In 1991, following the creation of Enugu State from the old Anambra State the new Government changed name from ASUTECH to ESUT.
At that time, the two former campuses of ASUTECH at Awka and Nnewi became the State University for Anambra State which today has been taken over by the Federal Government and renamed Nnamdi Azikiwe University, while the Enugu and Abakiliki campuses on the other hand formed ESUT.
ESUT however retained and adopted all the identities of the old ASUTECH including its main campus, the logo, colour, anthem, philosophy, aims and objectives among others.
This re-packaged University, ESUT, established a new campus at Adada Nkpologwu in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area where students of Applied Natural Sciences and Social Sciences were located.
These three campuses at Enugu, Abakailiki and Nsukka Zones of the State had four colleges, each headed by a Provost.
The creation of Ebonyi State from the old Enugu and Abia States in 1996 saw ESUT forfeiting its campus at Abakaliki which houses its Colleges of Medicine and Agriculture. The new State (Ebonyi) understandably converted the campuses to a State University known today as (EBSU) Ebonyi State University. ESUT on the other hand re-established its College of Health Sciences at Nsukka until 2005 when it was relocated to Parklane Enugu and named ESUT College of Medicine/Teaching Hospital.
On February 14, 2006, the University under the Vice Chancellorship of Professor Ikechukwu Chidobem was moved from its temporary site at Independence Layout Enugu to a befitting permanent structure built in Nkanu West L.G.A. and named Ebeano City.