The institute comprises seven departments: Biology Education, Chemistry Education, Educational Measurement and Data Science, Educational Research and Educational Psychology, Knowledge Transfer, Mathematics Education, and Physics Education. Approximately 190 people make up the IPN staff.
IPN's tasks range across the entire field of science education, mathematics education and computer science education. The IPN concentrates on long-term and nationwide research projects, which cannot be covered by universities.
Besides its research activities IPN offers different services (Coordination of national and international student competitions in biology, chemistry, physics and environmental issues, programs for teacher education, publications on science education, computer science education and mathematics education addressing teachers and scientists).