IPSR serves as a central coordinating body for all the postgraduate programmes pursued in the university. It is responsible for the promotion of all postgraduate programmes. It promotes the programmes by providing counselling on course-content, fees, entry requirements and financial aids. It provides the operational support by providing advice on admission and classes. Also, it maintains communication with relevant bodies and institutions. All these are done to ensure that the postgraduate programmes are well administered, monitored and assessed to provide the best possible postgraduate experience. 

IPSR also serves as a central coordinating body for research and development activities undertaken in the university. It establishes links with funding bodies. It formulates a mechanism for the administration of research grants and contracts. It facilitates the research and development activities by providing much-needed assistance to researchers such as processing research fund applications and managing research grant utilization. It also compiles and verifies research publications. All these are for the enhancement of the research capacity and the quality of research outputs of the university. Since its inception in 2004, IPSR has been managing the postgraduate education, the research and development activities and the research centres very successfully. Its graduands of postgraduate programmes and research outputs have been increasing over the years and these are clear indicators that UTAR is steadily becoming a leading centre of learning and research.

The Unit performs a major role in coordinating the implementation of research projects, and provision of professional support for research activities. It acts as a central resource for researchers to obtain information on related research, regulatory and legal requirements, publications, external events and so forth. Since research activities require substantial funding, the Unit places priority on identifying sources of external funding for research projects and facilitating applications for funding. Funding sources are not just restricted to public sector sources but include private sector and international agency sources. To complement the external sources of funding, a University Research Fund has been set up to assist young researchers to develop their talents and capabilities further. The Unit will highlight research activities in UTAR as a form of mechanism to install good practices in research and development. It will also compile publications created by UTAR academic staff for strategic planning of resources and evaluation of staff productivity. On a daily basis, its R&D Management sub-unit will disseminate any external grants available; process application for internal funding; manage the funding mechanism stipulated in the research agreements.