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 Federal Agency for Scientific Organizations (FASO Russia). The Russian Academy of Sciences and its Department of Nano-Technologies and Information Technologies (DNTIT RAS) provide for the scientific and methodological guidance in regard to the Institute research activities.
The Institute does basic research and application developments in informatics, automation intelligent systems and information technologies.
The Institute director is Professor of RAS Andrey L. Ronzhin.