The Moscow-based Interdisciplinary Centre for Studies in History, Economy and Society was founded in 2004 as a centre for economic, social-science and historical research.

Its aims are to:

• Promote an interdisciplinary, comparative approach and a long-term perspective in the study of Russia, the Soviet Union and the newly independent countries of the former Soviet Union.

• Provide a platform to scholars from different disciplines, institutions, regions and countries to interact, exchange ideas, and collaborate in joint projects.
  

• Stimulate the demand for academic research and its end-products in society and re-orient and train young scholars to react to this demand.
  

In addition to its own projects the centre carries out research in co-operation with other national and international scholarly institutions as well as on commission from governmental, non-governmental, corporate, and private parties.

Supportive activities include the organisation of conferences, workshops and seminars, serial publications, and development of web-resources.