Well that depends how you define "up to" - it's obvious they're the central power in this world outside the barrier, we can infer that the world outside the barrier probably isn't a lie because of the fact there's so much evidence supporting it, and we know we're in the barrier. Based on what Jacob told us back in the day, it stands the reason that the primary reason for experiments isn't studying the reactions we have or the results of the Shifts on us, but more how the Shifts work with different people - that means that they're still imprecise and refining Shift technology in several respects, right? Baring that in mind, we're also kept away from the natural shifts outside, and given what the Third Party guys are apparently like... they're probably opposing some outside force beyond the TPs and we're an untested weapon to oppose it. After all, some force or something had to to create the singularity of this world.