Queens College has many special centers and institutes that serve the diverse communities in the borough of Queens. These units address pressing societal issues, including cancer, AIDS, pollution, and racism; and celebrate the borough's many ethnic communities, including Asians, Greeks, Italians, and Jews. Queens College Centers and Institutes designated by the CUNY Board of Trustees are the following:

Asian/American Center Asian American/Asian Research Institute John D. Calandra Italian American Institute Center for the Biology of Natural Systems Center for Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies Center for the Improvement of Education Center for Jewish Studies Research on Overseas Koreans Equity Studies Research Center  Michael Harrington Center for Democratic Values and Social Change Neuroscience Research Center  Schutzman Center for Entrepreneurship