The Institute for Science, Technology and Society currently has four teaching departments: the Philosophy of Science and Technology department, the Science and Technology Education department, the Natural Dialectics Teaching Center, and the Science and Humanity Literacy General Education Teaching Center. They are responsible for the teaching and training of Master and Ph.D. students in Philosophy of Science and Technology; both full-time and part-time Masters students in Science and Technology Education; the teaching of public course in Natural Dialectics for the university; the teaching of the university-level General Compulsory Course including "Introduction to Philosophy", and the teaching of "Engineering Ethics" for Master of Engineering students at the university.

There are many key scientific, research and decision-making consulting bodies embedded in the institute including: Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences in universities of Guangdong Province, the "System Science and System Management Research Center of South China Normal University"; University-level Scientific Research Platform: the " Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Technology Innovation and Green Development Research Center of South China Normal University ", the "Private Education and Public Policy System Management Research Center of South China Normal University".

The institute has co-constructed the "Innovative Curriculum Base for Environment and Sustainable Development in China's PEI Universities" with the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Environmental Resources Protection of China. The institute is also planning to establish more key research and decision-making bodies including the "Science and Technology Revolution and the Future of Human Research Center", and the "Basic Education Quality Development Evaluation Research Center".

The department of Philosophy of Science and Technology is committed to achievements in significant fields of studies including basic theoretical researches and their applications, innovative talent cultivation in interdisciplinary and comprehensive subjects, distinguishing and globalising its researches and their application in cultural heritage and services to the society.

In recent years, researchers of this department have undertaken 9 scientific projects of the National Social Science Fund including major projects, key projects, and general projects; 6 Humanities and Social Science projects of the Ministry of Education, and 12 social science planning projects of Guangdong Province. They also have published 13 academic monographs including the "System Science and System Management Series" (People’s Publishing House). They have published many journal articles in SSCI sourced journals, and more than 160 journal articles in Chinese core journals (including CSSCI sourced journals) (from renown journals including "Chinese Social Sciences", "Philosophical Studies", "Nature Dialectics Research, Dialectics of Nature Newsletter, Academic Research, etc.). Two of those outcomes have won a second and a third prize of the "Outstanding Achievement Award for Humanities and Social Sciences in Chinese Universities" issued by the Ministry of Education, and a few have won the "Outstanding Achievement Award for Philosophy and Social Sciences” of Guangdong Province.