The Center for Social Studies of University of the Azores (CES-UA), founded on 1983, investigative body of the Department of History, Philosophy and Social Sciences, is the only organization in the Azores, specializing in sociology and demography, which is dedicated to research in a national and international context.

The position of the CES-UA was consolidated through research in the areas of sociology and demography, with studies and initiatives that first focused on the Azores but later included national and international research groups and networks. Currently, the center is part of a formal network of investigation and dissemination of information in the social sciences. Center members are part of diverse specialist organizations, with responsibilities in their social bodies and specialized sections.