The Institute of Physics was co-founded in 1961 by the University of Belgrade and the Government of Serbia. The IP was created with the following principle objectives in mind:
To provide facilities for the conducting of original research to its faculty, associates and visitors.
To help in fostering the growth of advanced studies in and related to physics.
To provide a forum for scientific contacts between physical scientists from Serbia and their collegues around the world.
To form the nucleus of an advanced graduate program in physics, and to work with the Department of Physics of the University of Belgrade in creating a top level physics graduate curriculum.
To develop applied areas of physics and assist in the development of related technologies.