It is composed of 300 members (individual and collective) from all over the world, including university members, researchers and human rights practitioners.
Loyal to the ambitions of the founder to « teach the teachers », the Institute began, as early as 1969, an annual study session, which is held every summer. In 1973, special seminars addressed at university teachers and researchers were added to the annual study session. Since its creation, the study sessions have brought together more than 15 000 participants from around the world.
Since 1998, a summer course on refugees is organised in cooperation with the UN High Commissioner of Refugees.
Finally, since 1980, a number of external training sessions on specific themes have taken place in different countries (Albania, Bulgaria, Burundi, Chad, Hungary, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Russia, Senegal, Spain, Yemen, etc.), usually in collaboration with local institutions or organisations.
The Institute’s Library collects, classifies and disseminates documentation relating to human rights and allows for on-site consultation. The Library is composed of approximately 9000 works in English, French, Spanish (monographs, collection of texts, collective works, annual reports, yearbooks, reference books, jurisprudence, etc.). See also the page "links" on the website IIDH.org links