WHO and UNICEF sponsored an International Conference in USSR at Alma Ata, where they published the ALMA ATA DECLARATION which defined a global strategy for public health and preventive medicine epitomized as "Health for all ". This strategy entails the use of all available healing methods both orthodox and traditional. The Open International University was formed as an international society congruent to the ALMA ATA DECLARATION, under the guidelines of WHO, and registered under the legal enactments of USSR in Alma Ata in 1962.
A Summary of aims is as follows:

(1) To advance the scientific study and professional practice of Medicines, by encouraging its development by promoting research, professional ethics, competence, conduct, education, qualification and achievement among practitioners.

(2) To carry out the promotion and the dissemination of knowledge and philosophy of Medicines through local and International Meeting, lectures, seminars, workshops, reports, papers, discussions, publications and professional contacts.

(3) To encourage a wide interest among the public and Medicines and all ancillary areas of knowledge and practice. This mandate has now been conferred on the Senate of The Open International University.

Alma Ata declaration emphasizes primary health care which has been described as "Essential health care based on practical, scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology, made universally accessible to individuals and families of the community through their full participation and at a cost that a community and a country can afford to maintain at every stage of their development, in the spirit of self reliance and self determination.”

Primary health care practice is based on the special training and scientific orientation provided to health care workers including physicians, nurses, midwives, auxiliary and community workers and traditional medical practitioners. Therefore "The Open International University" under the World Health Organization guidelines has established procedures and regulations outlining the Code of Ethics that healers are expected to allow, consequent to their training and certification by "The Open International University". However, practitioners are governed by legislation and regulations which are appropriate to their country in which they hold registration, in addition to the Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics is a general guideline to all practitioners. Under the auspices, the various regional associations have instituted training courses, Symposia and World Congresses in all five continents and in over one hundred countries in the past years.

As candidates from many countries of the world found it difficult to attend the courses held in Khazakstan, it was decided to transfer the main base to Western Europe. Some years later, it was moved to Utrecht, the Netherlands. However, people from Third World countries and developing nations could not easily benefit from the training programs in various medicine disciplines made available through the organization in Western Europe because of expensive living costs. In order to make this knowledge accessible to a larger population, and especially to those in economically less well off countries, it was decided to move the base to Sri Lanka which is now affiliated to "The Open International University" with the concurrence of the Government of Sri Lanka.

For about the past two decades "The Open International University Colombo" has been based in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) under the Chairmanship of Prof. Dr. Sir Anton Jayasuriya, which is congruent to the objectives of the World Health Organization and the Government of Sri Lanka. The Open International University conducts training programs in Western and other complementary forms of medicines. Over 50,000 students from 120 countries have been taught complementary medicine to date.

These are conducted in collaboration with the Academy of Science, at the Institute of Rheumatology, Laser therapy at the Colombo South Government General Hospital, at Kalubowila, Sri Lanka. Thus, it was decided in 1987 to constitute The Open International University with special emphasis on conducting an intensive clinical training program.

The UN Meeting in 1998 passed an act 35/55/5/X II/1980 which endorsed the legitimacy of Open International University and its degrees. “The Open International University, established under the aegis of the United nations Alma Ata Declaration is an approved institution… it is an international organization” (quoted from Sri Lanka Minister of Health’s letter of 2nd Sep, 1975). “The Kalubowila Hospitals Clinic has become one of the best know Clinics in the world over for treating, certifying and teaching Alternative Medicines within the framework of the Open International University…” (quoted from Sri Lanka Preme Minister’s letter of 1st Dec, 1996).

America, Spain and other countries have claimed the degree certification from this University equates to degree certification from any standard colleges in their countries.

In the past 40 years, the Open International University has hold 42 Natural Medicine meetings around the world, participated by politicians from many countries.