In 1993, Wuhan University approved the establishment of the Social Security Research Center and the Social Security Research Office of the Department of Finance and Insurance, which is the predecessor of the center.

In 1998, the Center obtained the conferment right of master's degree in social security (one of the first 3 universities in China) and the only conferment right of doctor's degree in social security in China. In the same year, the Center established the undergraduate program of Labor and social security (one of the first 8 universities in China).

In 1999, the Center began to enroll students for bachelor's, master's and doctor's degrees in social security.

In 2000, the center was approved as a key research base for Humanities and Social Sciences by the Ministry of Education.

In 2001, "Research on Sustainable Development of Social Security" was approved as a "Project 211" construction project during the national "Tenth Five-Year Plan" period.

In 2002, social security discipline was selected as a national key discipline.

In 2004, the center was approved as the second phase of the national "985 Project" - Social security research and innovation base.

In 2006, the Labor and Social Security Teaching and Research Sub-Committee of the Steering Committee for Professional Teaching of Public Administration in higher Education Institutions of the Ministry of Education was established at the Center.

In 2007, social security discipline was selected as a national key discipline again.

In 2008, social security discipline was selected as the dominant discipline of universities in Hubei Province.

In 2009, the teaching team of Labor and Social security was awarded as the excellent teaching team of colleges and universities in Hubei Province.

In 2009, the discipline of Public administration of Wuhan University, with social security as its core, ranked first with Fudan University in the second round of national discipline evaluation.

In 2012, the discipline of Public Administration of Wuhan University, with social security as its core, ranked third with Peking University in the third round of national discipline evaluation.

In 2013, the discipline of Public Administration of Wuhan University, with social security as its core, was approved as a key discipline of Hubei Province.

In 2013, the Social security discipline was selected into the "Wuhan University Philosophy and Social Sciences Advantages and Characteristics Academic Field Construction Plan".

In 2015, the discipline of public administration of Wuhan University with social security as its core was rated as A in the fourth round of national discipline evaluation.

In 2015, among the 151 key research bases of humanities and Social sciences of the Ministry of Education participating in the national evaluation, the center was rated excellent and ranked 8th in the country.

In 2016, the Center was selected as the first member of the "China Think Tank Index (CTTI)", which was included in 2017-2018.

In 2017, the center was selected as a member of the "University High-end Think Tank Alliance".

In 2017, according to the "China University Think Tank Development Report (2017)" released by the Global Think Tank Research Center of Zhejiang University of Technology, the center ranked 41st among the university think tanks in China.

In 2018, the Center was selected into the Top 100 University Think Tanks list of the China Think Tank Index (CTTI), with A grade of A-.

In 2018, the Report on China's Social Security Reform and Development 2012-2015, compiled by the Center, won the "Excellent Report Award" of the Chinese Think Tank Academic Achievements of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Evaluation.

In 2019, the center was selected as the source think tank of China Think Tank Index (CTTI) again for 2019-2022.