During 1995 in Slavonski Brod the initiative was taken to establish a new research unit with a regional character in the field of historical studies. From idea to implementation numerous problems had to be solved. Although the idea and the operational programme of this new institution were supported by the majority of experts and research institutions in the Republic of Croatia and by competent services of Slavonian cities and the counties, support was on paper only.

The only real support for the operational programme of this research institution, with the primary task of exploring the past of eastern Croatia (Slavonia, Syrmia and Baranya), came from the City of Slavonski Brod and the Brod-Posavina County. The establishment of the Unit for the History of Slavonia, Syrmia and Baranya in Slavonski Brod was made possible by: the City of Slavonski Brod i Brod-Posavina County, by the Croatian Institute of History in Zagreb and the then Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia.

With approval of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of Croatia, the Croatian Institute of History in Zagreb passed a resolution establishing the Unit for the History of Slavonia, Syrmia and Baranya in Slavonski Brod on June 4, 1996.

On June 21, 1996 the Ministry of Science and Technology, the City of Slavonski Brod and the Brod-Posavina County signed a Contract on the financing of the Unit. According to this Contract, the Ministry provides funds for the work of the Unit in the amount of 50% and the County and the City also in the amount of 50%.

On November 11, 1996 the Unit was registered at the Commercial Court. The formal and legal procedures concerning the establishment ended on February 20, 1997. Up to that day the Unit had worked within the Museum of Brodsko Posavlje in Slavonski Brod.

The City of Slavonski Brod and the Brod-Posavina County, apart from the participation in the financing of the Unit, provided premises of some 300 square meters in the city centre (in A. Starčević Street, No. 8) along with the existing equipment and rich library that had been used up to 1991 by the then Centre for the History of Slavonia and Baranya.

Supporting the process of the decentralisation of scholarly institutions, the Croatian Institute of History in Zagreb both established the Unit and has provided it with ongoing assistance, technically and in expertise.

The Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia finances permanent employees and the research projects of the Unit and meets the costs for research fellows.

From the establishment of the Unit until the end of 2011 it was led by the principal (head)  Mato Artuković, Ph.D.. During this period the Unit formed to a great extent its team of experts, creating a cooperative research unit of about fifteen scholars, junior research assistants and staff associates. A considerable publishing programme for a wide range of scholarly books and a scholarly journal was established. The researchers of the Unit have published a large number of books and works with a broad spectrum of topics from the history of Slavonia, Syrmia and Baranya as well as the national and regional history. The Unit has in this period organized seven conferences with published proceedings. Generally speaking, a solid foundation has been laid for the Unit’s future activities.