[1] CISH was founded as an association within the meaning of articles 60 and following of the Civil Code of Switzerland, created in order to promote the historical sciences through international co-operation.
In particular it organizes every five years, in collaboration with the National Committee of the historians of the host country, an International Congress of Historical Sciences.
It may handle, patronize or support financially the publication of reference works of general interest and the organization of scientific symposia or of other events encouraging the spread of historical thought and knowledge.
It shall defend freedom of thought and expression in the field of historical research and teaching, and is opposed to the misuse of history and shall use every means at its disposal to ensure the ethical professional conduct of its members.
[2] The current board is composed by Catherine Horel (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) as President, Eliana Dutra (University of Minas Gerais) and Krzysztof Makowski University of Poznan as vice-presidents, Edoardo Tortarolo (University of Eastern Piedmont) as secretary general, Sacha Zala (Bern University) as treasurer, Andrea Giardina [it], Joel Harrington (Vanderbilt University), Matthias Middell (University of Leipzig), Hirotaka Watanabe (Teikyo University), Gunlög Fur (Linnaeus University), Nuno Gonçalo Monteiro (Universidade de Lisboa), Katalin Szende (Central European University) [3] It awards the CISH History Prize to a "historian who has distinguished herself or himself in the field of history by her/his works, publications or teaching, and has significantly contributed to the development of historical knowledge".