Although the SRC was recently created (2006), the majority of its members have been collaborating on joint research projects since the mid 80s when the International Research Group for Methodology and Comparative Survey Research (IRMCS) was founded. The IRMCS is a still extant network of professors from different countries coordinated by Professor W. E. Saris (then from the University of Amsterdam). IRMCS' research has focused on the detection and correction of measurement-related errors in social science and behavioural research.

During the 2002-2003 academic year, Professor J. M. Batista-Foguet's research project, "Survey Research Techniques. A Methodological Evaluative Approach" was selected by the Catalan Institute for Advanced Studies and Research (ICREA) and Professor W. E. Saris was awarded the ESADE position associated with this project.

In November 2005, the Catalan Government recognised the "Centre Català de Metodologia Estadística Aplicada i d'Enquestes" (Catalan Centre for Survey Research and Applied Statistics),  consisting of ESADE professors Batista-Foguet, Bisbe, Boyatzis, Cribillers, Serlavós, and Sureda and ESADE PhD's Dorsé and Guillén, in addition to professors Coenders, Coromina, Sáez, and Saurina from the University of Girona as a Consolidated Research Group (GRC: 2005SGR00064) and began financing it.

The "European Social Survey" (ESS), in which Professor Saris participates as a member of the Central Coordinating Team, was the first social science project ever to be awarded the Descartes Prize in 2005. Various ESADE professors and PhD candidates participate in the ESS project.