As a largest education research institution in China, BAES boasts 16 institutes and centers engaged in educational research ranging from early childhood education, pedagogic innovation, curriculum and textbook development, vocational and technical education, lifelong learning, private education, education for sustainable development and learning difficulties, etc.

Its main tasks are to provide consultative service for government administration and to serve schools’ management and pedagogic improvement. BAES publishes several journals including Educational Sciences Research and Classroom Teachers which are quite popular across the country. Besides, it publishes Beijing Education Series, Beijing Education Almanac, and Beijing Educational Science Research Series.

The special institute research in lifelong learning and learning city is Institute of Vocational and Adult Education (IVAE), all the research being undertaken at IVAE focuses on the vocational and adult education development of Beijing policy development, on designing and implementing VET and adult education reform and on providing research services for the Beijing Municipal Government.