IRPPS is an Interdisciplinary Research Institute that conducts studies on demographic and migration issues, welfare systems and social policies, policies regarding science, technology and higher education, relations between science and society, and the creation of, access to and dissemination of knowledge and information technology. Within the framework of the reorganization of the National Research Council, as of April 2002 the following institutes have been incorporated in the Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies (IRPPS): the Institute for Population Research (IRP) in Rome, part of the Institute of Studies on Research and Scientific Documentation (ISRDS) and the Institute of Research on Social Security Dynamics (IRIDISS) in Penta di Fisciano (Salerno).
The research activity follows three main lines:
• Study of the relations between population trends and social and economic development;
• Study of the social dynamics and policies in welfare systems;
• Study of changes in society linked to the spread of knowledge and information technology.
Strategic goals:
To adapt the corpus of research performed to suit the needs of society in its specific areas of competence, which comprise:
population dynamics, migration policies and dynamics, social and demographic behaviour, gender studies, welfare, social integration, research, innovation and training policies, teaching and public communication of science, globalization, social informatics and social computing, and electronic health care.
To provide tools and cognitive methods for applying research results in a broad socio-economic context.
In its research activity, the Institute can draw on numerous national and international partnerships, also in the form of conventions and consortia with Italian and foreign universities and bodies, as well as in policy and research networks (OECD, EU, UNESCO). The Institute is currently party to a number of contracts and benefits from funding from the European Commission, public agencies and local authorities, as well as from private corporations and bodies.
The Institute also carries out significant research activities in projects set up by other departments (ICT, Medicine).
In addition to the permanent group of researchers and technologists, technical and administrative staff, IRPPS also hosts researchers and experts from other research bodies and Italian and international organizations on fixed-term agreements for specific projects.
The Institute also employs project workers through research grants, study grants and ad hoc work contracts.