Its activities extend to the fields of education for citizenship and international cooperation, mainly in African Portuguese speaking countries where noted activities and strong connections have been developed. IED is currently registered as an education and training institution in the Portuguese Authorities for Quality and Education and for International Cooperation.

<br>IED - Instituto de Estudos para o Desenvolvimento (Institute for Development Studies) is a non-profit association registered as a non-governamental organization for development cooperation (ONGD) and officially recognized as an entity of social merit (Pessoa Colectiva de Utilidade Publica) operating under favourable and legal tax provisions.<br> It was created by 15 founders on the February 19th, 1979 as an independent association for research, debate and divulgation on subjects connected with the social, cultural and economic development as well as to propose concrete mesure to be implemented in Portugal in those areas. Today IED has more than 90 members within a framework of social democratic ideology. The institute is close to the S&D group in the EU parliament.

The institute has a Board of Directors, which are to be elected every two years and controlled by the General Assembly of all members with equal voting powers. The members of the Board have specific assignements, by functions or by project, and are coordinated by the President.