The main purposes of the Academia das Ciências de Lisboa are:
- to promote and stimulate scientific research and to disseminate its achievements;
- to stimulate the enrichment of thought, literature, language and other forms of culture;
- to encourage the study of Portuguese history and its relationship with the history of other nations, and to investigate and publish the sources of documentation;
- to collaborate in education and teaching activities;
- to assist the Government in an advisory capacity with scientific and linguistic problems of national interest;
- to preserve and improve the Portuguese language in connection with the Brazilian Academy of Letters and with similar institutions of Portuguese-speaking countries
- and to participate in cultural exchanges with other countries.
The Academy of Sciences of Lisbon is a member of the main international scientific organizations, like the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Union Académique Internationale (UAI), the Interacademy Panel (IAP), the All European Academies (ALLEA), the European Science Foundation (ESF) and the European Academies Science Advisory Council (EASAC).