The Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies was founded in 1984, first as the Centre for Migration and Ethnic Studies; the present name dates from 1987. It was established by merging of the Centre for Migration Studies, heir of the continuous research of external migration which began in 1967 within the Institute for Geography of the University of Zagreb, to which in 1977 was added the Centre for Education of the Institute for Social Research of the University of Zagreb and the Agency for Migration and Nationalities (existing since 1965). Its goal was a scientific research of external and internal migration, Croatian emigration and minorities.

The main function of the Institute is to stimulate the comparative study of migration, minorities and ethnicity, to promote public understanding of the complexity and reality of these topics, and also, through research and discussion, to stimulate the implementation of new policies and activities that might aid in the resolution of problems in the relevant fields. Through systematic and interdisciplinary research into all forms of migration, through the study of national minorities and various aspects of ethnicity, the Institute aims at accomplishing, above all, the following tasks:

• organisation and implementation of scientific research; 

• publication of the Institute's research results, as well as of the research results of other scientists dealing with migration, minority topics and ethnicity; 

• organisation of scientific and professional discussions (symposia, conferences, round tables) in the field of migration, minority and ethnic studies; 

• co-operation with other scientific and professional institutions and individual researchers both in Croatia and abroad; 

• participation and aid in the scientific and professional training of researchers and novices, as well as in the attainment of academic statuses in the research fields covered by the Institute; 

• organisation of lectures for the Institute's researchers, as well as for other scientists interested in the Institute's research fields (some of the Institute's employees also lecture in graduate and post-graduate courses outside of the Institute).

The Institute's plans include further network involvement in international programmes and projects, participation in the network of excellence on the European level and more intense scientific communication. Fuller involvement of the Institute in pregraduate, undergraduate and postgraduate university educational programmes is also one of the Institute's priorities.