The central objective of LACUA is to explore, stimulate and strengthen inspiring and mutually beneficial relationships between European and Latin American societies. On the one hand, these relationships engage cross-disciplinary research activities related to social, cultural, economic, political and environmental challenges in both regions taking cultural studies and social sciences as core disciplinary approaches. On the other hand, LACUA seeks to create new partnerships and reinforce the existing collaborations between scholars and social actors in both regions.
LACUA’s key research topics are cultural memory studies, migration, urban anthropology, right to the city, intercultural linguistics, language pedagogy, language policy, lexicography, Human Rights, social movements, civil society, socio-economic inequalities, extractivism and conflicts over natural resources, hope, activism, production and circulation of knowledge, anthropological exhibitions and representations of indigenous peoples, green revolution, agricultural sources, Latin America in global history, financial exclusion.   
The centre’s activities include an annual international seminar and annual publication of an issue of the academic journal Diálogos Latinoamericanos. Furthermore, LACUA aims to strengthen research-based learning and teaching through its members’ activities in BA and MA programmes in both the School of Culture and Society and the School of Communication and Culture.