The group supports its members in their academic and professional work by discussing and acting on scientific, social and cultural issues.

IAPS also organizes visits to global research institutions such as CERN or Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, international physics competitions, summer schools, exchange programmes and multinational meetings.

On a daily basis, IAPS is run by an Executive Committee, which is elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM), held during the ICPS with the participation of all member societies.

[2] IAPS continuously pursues collaborative partnership efforts with other organizations to have a positive impact in the global scientific community.

IAPS members may be national physics student organisations, called National Committees (NC), physics student association localised at one university or city, called Local Committees (LC) and individual members (IM) if none of the before are present where one studies.

The 2022/23 EC is composed of:[4] Students of physics or related subjects who do not have access to an NC or LC may join as IMs.

The purpose of the conference is to create an opportunity for physics students from all around the world to come together, to talk about science and life, to practice presenting their research and, all in all, to have a great time.

The event had less than fifty participants, but since then, the conference has grown considerably, nowadays bringing together more than four hundred students.