The research program of the IUSS School focuses on the human being, in its biological, cognitive and social dimensions, through two main axes, with a strong interdisciplinary focus, which are substantiated by the two Academic Classes (Human and Life Sciences and Sciences. Technologies and Society) and their solid interaction.

Some main themes, namely natural hazards and their mitigation, climate change and actions for sustainability, cognitive neuroscience, neurolinguistics, epistemology and philosophy of mind, constitute the privileged terrain for the concrete application of this vision aimed at human beings and the complexity of their relationship with the physical and social world.

Operational tools are the activities of research centers, laboratories and the provision of doctoral courses.