• Health
• Population, Migration, Employment, Gender
• Regional Cooperation

Institute for Strategic and Development Studies was founded by a group of academicians from the University of the Philippines in April 1991. It was established in response to the need for an ongoing evaluation and interpretation of the changes in national and international affairs by serious international, regional, and national analysts. It was also aimed at responding to the need to provide academicians a venue for research to enrich teaching and to provide inputs to policy making.

It was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an independent, non-stock, non-profit professional research and training organization in January 1992.

The Institute for Strategic and Development Studies, Inc. (ISDS) aims to contribute to international and regional peace and cooperation, and human well-being through cooperative research and advocacy, discussion, publication, and training activities. Its approach is to identify and mobilize specialists in the fields of international relations, policy studies, and countryside development, who will generate a range of options in the formulation of international, regional, national, and local policies.

The Institute maintains a Council of Fellows with interests in different disciplines and representing various sectors. Apart from academicians, the Council is composed of ambassadors, Foreign Service officers, businessmen, and individuals who have stood out in the public, private, and "people" sectors for their expertise or their vision.

ISDS is headed by Carolina G. Hernandez, Ph.D., President. Its core programs are the Strategic and Security Studies Program, the Regional and International Studies Program, and the National Development and Local Governance Program. Each one is managed by a Program Director.