The Institute of Carpathian Studies was established based on the archaeological laboratory of Uzhhorod State (now National) University in 1992. It included specialists in the fields of archaeology, history, and folklore. The Institute had departments of archaeology, ethnography, and linguistics. The directors of this university division were: I. Pop (1992-94), M. Makara (1994-2000), M. Vegesh (2000-04), V. Kotyhoroshko (2004-16), and since 2016, it has been headed by I. Prokhnenko.

In 2007, the Institute underwent a reorganization that determined the focus of its research on studying the ancient and medieval history of the Upper Tisza region as part of the Carpatho-Danubian area based on archaeological research and written sources.

The Institute entered into a series of agreements on cross-border cooperation with institutions of neighboring countries (Slovakia - Technical University of Košice, Institute of Archaeology of the SAS in Nitra, Museum of History in Hanušovce nad Topľou; Hungary - Institute of Archaeology of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest; Romania - Satu Mare County Museum of History and Arts), which allowed for a better understanding of numerous important aspects of the region's history.

The key site for research is the archaeological complex (hillfort and sacred center) near the village of Mala Kopania in Vinogradivsky (now Berehivsky) district, where excavations have been conducted since 1977, exploring layers from the turn of our era to the 10th-11th centuries. Dozens of production workshops and residential structures have been discovered on the hillfort territory, along with a significant amount of material dating back from the 1st century BCE to the 1st century CE.

Since 2007, searches have also been carried out in the territory of Transcarpathian castles (Vinogradivsky, Korolivsky, Serednyansky, Kvasivsky, Siletsky, Bronkivsky, and Vyshkovsky fortified sites). These searches have allowed the establishment of landmarks for the appearance and disappearance of these historical sites. Additionally, combined with written sources, the reasons for the emergence of monumental military architecture in the region during the 13th to 16th centuries have been determined.

The results of field and laboratory research by the Institute's employees are reflected in dozens of domestic and foreign articles and monographs, and have been presented in hundreds of international scientific conferences. In 2021, in collaboration with various units of the Faculty of History and International Relations, an international scientific conference on 'Problematic Issues of Ancient History of the Carpathian Area' was conducted, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of Prof. E. Balaguri. The Institute publishes a periodic collection of scientific works called 'Carpatyka,' and up to the present day, 41 issues have been released.

In the early 2010s, due to a significant decrease in funding for scientific research, the Institute focused exclusively on archaeological issues. Enthusiastic local researchers and enthusiasts are actively involved in the works on a community basis. With the stabilization of the country's financial situation and based on the available resources, the Institute has all the prospects for expanding and intensifying its activities. It possesses the necessary material and instrumental base, scientific potential, statutory documents (Regulations), an institutional seal, and the right to publish the scientific collection 'Carpatyka.'