The Centre encourages research activities focused on habitat improvement in extreme conditions, such as climate or social emergency, and promotes science awareness initiatives (seminars, lectures, workshops, etc.).
For more than 20 years it offered postgraduate education being involved in the organization of a specialization course aimed at professionally training both  architects and engineers interested in working within developing and emerging countries-related projects. Nowadays the Centre is responsible for the Second Level Master Programme “TECHs 4 Change: Design for Social and Technological Innovation in Development”, whose aim is to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to develop an interdisciplinary approach to international development cooperation and management of projects. Moreover, CRD-PVS participates in programs of international and technical cooperation in partnership with universities, national and international associations and non-governmental organizations. A documentation service for those willing to investigate habitat-related topics in developing countries is available at CRD-PVS specialized library.