Part of Oxford University, the institute seeks to identify science and technology issues critical in shaping the future of world civilisation and interacts with key decision-makers in order to influence technological and social change. Research focuses on two main perspectives:
- Futures – this employs tools such as scenario development and the understanding of complex adaptive systems to identify plausible future states of the world, at multiple levels;
- Practices – this encompasses research on social, economic, political, cultural, and institutional aspects of science, technology and environment, particularly focusing on entrenched ways of doing things.
Wihtin these, the institute has 6 priority areas of research: Tomorrow’s People, Tomorrow’s Technologies, Tomorrow’s Planet, Tomorrow’s Civilizations, Governance of Technological Change, and Technology and Inequality. It also runs a fellowship programme, symposium and teaching programme.