Bung Hatta University was founded on April 20, 1981, departing from the idea of participating in the success of the education sector as stated in Article 31 (1) of the 1945 Constitution and GBHN, in addition as a response to the inequality in the proportion of high school graduates in 1980 where the number of high school graduates who were able to be accommodated in state universities was only 38%.
At the initiative of the Level II Regional Government at that time, Drs. H. Hasan Basri Durin as Mayor of Padang along with other figures including Drs. Adrin Kahar Ph.D (Hon), Drs. H Zuiyen Rais, M.S., Masri Usman, S.H., Prof. Dr. Alfian Lains, S.E., M.A., Prof. Dr. Jakub Isman, M. Zen Jamil, S.H., and Prof. Drs. Mawardi Yunus, agreed to establish a foundation called the Nusantara Insight Education Foundation (YPWN). The name was chosen because the phrase “Nusantara Insight” is a phraes that means very broadly and also politically contains a unifying element of the nation.
The initial suggestion for a name for the university was from Anas, S.H. with the name of Muhammad Hatta University. At the suggestion of Prof. Dr. Jakub Isman this was changed to Bung Hatta University. Drs. H. Hasan Basri Durin consulted Bung Hatta's family including Mrs. Rahmi Hatta, his daughters, son-in-law and the secretary of the deceased. Bung Hatta's extended family did not just give approval but participated in providing material and moral support in preparation for the acceptance of the first new students and the inauguration of Bung Hatta University.
Carrying the great name of Dr. Mohammad Hatta is not taken lightly. He, with the nickname "Bung Hatta" is one of the two independence proclamators of the Republic of Indonesia who are known as leaders who feared God Almighty, had good character and knowledge, loved their religion, had a democratic spirit and had full dedication to the nation's struggle and to the unity of the archipelago. The university is expected to be able to carry out the national development mission in accordance with his ideals.
The establishment of Bung Hatta University received approval and operational permission from the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture through the Region I Private University Coordinator with letter number 006 / PD / Kop. I.1981 dated April 20, 1981, for (1) Faculty of Economics, (2) Faculty of Law, (3) Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, (4) Faculty of Fisheries, (5) Faculty of Literature, and (6) Faculty of Engineering. The Faculty of Engineering, Bung Hatta University, officially opened on December 1, 1981. It was an integration of the West Sumatra Technical College (STTSB), formerly known as the West Sumatra Institute of Technology (ITSB). In 1982 the Faculty of Fisheries was opened as a substitute for the Faculty of Agriculture which was not opened. In 1996, the Faculty of Engineering was divided into two, namely the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Planning (FTSP) and the Faculty of Industrial Technology (FTI). The facilitation of this faculty is to facilitate management in the same science group. In 2004, the Faculty of Literature (FS) was renamed the Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) and the Fisheries Faculty (FP) was changed to the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK). This name change was intended for the development of faculties and study programs in each faculty.