The Institute of Philosophy and Sociology (Instytut Filozofii i Socjologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk, hereinafter referred to as IFiS PAN) is one of the leading research centers of the Polish Academy of Sciences. The Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) is a national academic institution, established by an act of Parliament in 1952. It is the largest non-university research and science institution in Poland. PAN’s statutory goals are to promote the comprehensive advancement of science, co-ordinate theoretical and empirical academic research, and provide expertise for practical application. 

IFiS PAN’s primary objective is to carry out advanced research in philosophy and sociology. The Scientific Council of the Institute is authorized to confer degrees of Ph.D. and habilitation in the fields of sociology and philosophy. It can also initiate the review process for awarding the title of professor. Apart from its research activity, the Institute is engaged in education, publishing, and popular outreach activities such as science festivals for the wider public. The Institute is an academic institution recognized by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education as one of the country’s leading scientific units. In 2004, it also gained the status of a Centre of Excellence in social sciences and humanities, and it has been granted the highest category (A+) in both of the rankings of research institutes carried in Poland since 2013.