The Research Division for Poverty and Well-being was referred to as Research Division for Poverty and Development Finance during 1999-2012 and Rural Social and Poverty Research during 1994-1999. Its predecessor is the Research Team of Mountainous Areas and Poverty Problems established in 1988. Since 2012, it has undertaken 40 projects and delivered more than 80 publications, including 9 monographs, 45 core journal papers and various policy proposals. The Division is also the platform on which the CASS Center for Poverty Research and CASS Key Discipline of "Poverty and Well-being Research" are based.

Research area: rural poverty and well-being of rural residents.

Research directions: measurement and monitoring of rural poverty and well-being of rural residents, causes of poverty, poverty and well-being changes, poverty alleviation and well-being policies, and poverty and well-being impact assessment of public policies.