The Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences was founded on November 26, 1991, by a decision of the University of Zagreb under the name Institute for Applied Social Research. Two years later, it became a public institute founded by the Republic of Croatia, and in 1997 it was named the Ivo Pilar Institute of Social Sciences.
The Institute’s core activity is scientific research in the fields of social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary studies. The Institute develops and implements programs of continous scientific research aimed at studying social changes, cultural phenomena and other topics important for Croatian society as a whole and locally in the context of their national and international recognition and importance. The Institute brings together and connects prominent researchers and research groups from Croatia and abroad and encourages scientific excellence in the national and international scientific research community.
– Prof. Željko Holjevac, PhD
Vision
The Institute will continue to develop as a leading national center of scientific excellence in conducting research on relevant and contemporary phenomena in the fields of social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary sciences, so that with its academic standards and research achievements in advancing scientific excellence, strengthening cooperation with the economy and developing national and regional identity and culture, and strengthening social responsibility, it will continue to serve as a stimulating and desirable environment for scientific work and improve its position in the international and national scientific research community.
Mission
The mission of the Institute is to conduct top-notch scientific, developmental, professional and other research in the fields of social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary sciences and to provide specialized educational, publishing and consulting services based on top-notch scientific research with the aim of increasing knowledge about Croatian society in the international and national context, contributing to higher education and cooperation with the economy, and informing the scientific community and the wider public as well as public policy makers. The Institute, with its entire scientific activity, which is based on scientific excellence, respect for ethical principles in research and a collegial relationship between scientists and young researchers, taking into account the expectations of other key participants in the systems of science, education, and the economy in which it operates, serves the Croatian and European educational and scientific community as well as the public good of the Republic of Croatia.
Activities
As part of its core scientific activity, the Institute carries out activities related to the establishment of scientific infrastructure of importance to the overall system of scientific activity and higher education, as well as scientific programs of strategic interest to the Republic of Croatia. In this sense, the Institute implements competitive international and national scientific and professional projects, promotes the implementation and systematic advancement of scientific activity, participates in the development of undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate study programs and the development of scientific and professional expertise for the formation of public policies in the Republic of Croatia, encourages the dissemination of research results at various levels (scientific conferences, scholarly publications, publishing, science popularization) in order to strengthen the competitiveness of the Croatian economy, improve education and promote culture, and encourages the integration of scientific activity into the European Research Area, in accordance with its strategic goals and research priorities. The Institute actively cooperates with state administration authorities and regional and local self-government in the Republic of Croatia, as well as with civil society organizations. Thanks to its network structure (regional centers), the Institute, by implementing basic research activity, encourages a more balanced regional development of the Republic of Croatia.
