The centre strives to promote dialogue with the larger society with emphasis on faith and culture, faith and justice, and interreligious dialogue

The center serves the people of northwest Indiana through research, educational programs, leadership training, and community coalition building.

The institute is a centre for applied ethics and social teaching.

The foundation is a university center of formation, investigation and action in the field of the development and the cooperation, with analysis and action on the factors critical to the development in a local and a global scope.

The institute promotes research in the social sciences , supports collaboration and organizes academic courses on social topics.