The center has actively developed population and policy studies through various activities, including research, education, training, support services, and advocacy. Over the last ten years, CPPS UGM has conducted more than a hundred studies and capacity building programs with diverse themes, including poverty, population and demographic, health and education, good governance, decentralization and public service, gender and reproductive health, and migration.

The center produces research on social, political, cultural, economic and other issues related to Asia- Pacific region, in order to provide important recommendations to the stakeholders.

The center focuses on increasing advocacy and assistance to communities experiencing problems with the conservation, utilization and management of biological resources with interdisciplinary cooperation that is synergistic, effective and efficient in sustainable management of biological resources.

The center focuses on developing biotechnology in Indonesia through research, seminars, workshops, research internships, short courses, and assigning lecturers to various universities abroad for doctoral and master programs.

The center focuses on conducting research, education and training, consultations and publications related to cultural policy and the implementation of cultural perspectives in various areas of life.

The center focuses on conducting disaster research to contribute ideas related to disaster management in order to support various educational activities and community service.

The Center focuses on conducting research related to the development of a populist economic system in various places in Indonesia. Research priorities include regional autonomy, village empowerment and poverty alleviation (according to typology: agricultural village, tourist village, forest village, coastal village, etc.), People's Market Development, Renewable Energy Development, Empowerment of Cooperatives and SMEs, Employment.

The center focuses on basic and policy oriented researches as well as applied researches in public, economic and taxpolicies.

The center focuses on an intern-disciplinary energy study-research activity on green energy (fossil-based and renewable energies). It offers comprehensive solution to develop and implement the smart energy policy and technologies in the frame of engineering & scientific solutions, social, political and economic areas.

The center focuses on conducting a range of basic and applied research activities in the environmental field (strategic environmental assessment, environmental carrying capacity research, environmental information systems, environmental audits, and others).

The center focuses on promoting research and education in the field of food science and nutrition as well as community development.

The center focuses on conducting various activities in the field of marine and fisheries, in accordance with its core competence and human resources.

The center focuses on developing Pancasila through a multidisciplinary approach to solve problems in the life of society, nation and state through research, training, advocacy, discussion and publications.

The center focuses in research, consultancy, and capacity building in regional and urban planning development.

The center focuses on conducting researches and studies on rural and regional development, food security and food sovereignty, poverty, justice, and CSR program evaluation and planning.

The center has a strong commitment to facilitation, training and mentoring actions as its community service in the transformation of development. There are three main issues that serve as the framework: Security Sector Reform, Conflict Resolution, and Peace.

The center focuses on producing high quality multi-disciplinary research focusing on Southeast Asia, providing basic information for policy recommendation and enhancing awareness of the society towards the studies of Southeast Asia, establishing sustainable partnership with other research centers that focus on Southeast Asian studies from all around the world.

The Center has the competence of research, planning and design, training, monitoring on tourism as the basis for formulating tourism development policy.

The center focuses on encouraging changes with innovative ideas for the advancement and development of the transport and logistics sectors to solve local, national, and international problems.

The center focuses on responding to gender and child issues, upholding women's and men's rights to opportunity, recognition, respect, and access to equal services in the community so as to achieve gender equality and justice.

The center focuses on conducting a critical assessment of the various dynamics of global commerce to provide input and recommendations for governments, communities and parties preparing for and anticipating problems, challenges and opportunities in world trade.