The inception of the Gheorghe Zane Institute for Economic and Social Research—ICES "Gheorghe Zane"—traces back to 1957 when a Department of Economics was founded by the Romanian Academy, Iași Branch.​

In 1970, the establishment of a Center for Social Sciences marked the commencement of research activities encompassing economics, psychology, and pedagogy. Over time, the Center broadened its academic focus to incorporate sociology (1971) and legal sciences (1972). In 1975, the Center underwent a merger with the Institute of Pedagogical Sciences in Iași, retaining its name but falling under the jurisdiction of the "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iași.​

In 1990, the Center returned to the auspices of the Romanian Academy and transformed into the Institute of Socio-Human Sciences. It engaged in research across diverse disciplines, including philosophy, logic, pedagogy, psychology, sociology, and legal sciences.​

The establishment of the Gheorghe Zane Institute for Economic and Social Research occurred in 2002, resulting from the unification of the Institute of Socio-Human Sciences and the "Gh. Zane" Institute of Economic Research, which was founded in 1994.