St. Petersburg Institute for Informatics and Automation of the Russian Academy of Sciences was founded in 1978 according to the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated 12/19/1977 and to the Decision of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences dated 01/19/1978 on the basis of the Computer Science Department of Ioffe Physical and Technical Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences, and was assigned the name of Leningrad Research Computer Center (LRCC) of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1985 LRCC was transformed into Leningrad Institute for Informatics and Automation of the USSR Academy of Sciences. In 1992 when historic name of St. Petersburg was returned to the city the Institute in turn was renamed in St. Petersburg Institute for Informatics and Automation of RAS (SPIIRAS). According to the Decree of the Russian Federation Government dated 12/30/2013 No.2591-p the Institute was handed over to the RF Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations (FASO Russia).

The scientific and methodological guidance of the Institute research activity is provided by the Russian Academy of Sciences and Department of Nanotechnologies and Information Technologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Division of Information Technologies and Automation).

By the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Russian Federation dated 06/27/2018 No.1293-р the Institute was transferred to the management of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Minobrnauki of RUSSIA).

  In accordance with the Decree of the Russian Federation President of May 15, 2018 No. 215: «On the structure of Federal Executive authorities» and by the order of the Russian Government of June 27, 2018 No. 1293-р SPIIRAS is  transferred to the management of The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

The Institute does basic research and applied developments in informatics, automation intelligent systems and information technologies.

The Institute scientific leader is Honored Scientist of RF, Corresponding Member of RAS Rafael M. Yusupov.

In accordance with the order of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation dated 12/18/2019 No.1399 St. Petersburg Institute for Informatics and Automation of the Russian Academy of Sciences was reorganized and renamed to The Federal State Institution of Science “St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences” (SPC RAS) (further – the Center).

In accordance with the SPC RAS Charter SPIIRAS acquired a status of the Center’s structural division - St. Petersburg Institute for Informatics and Automation of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Director is Doctor of Technical Sciences Professor Osipov Vasily Yuryevich.