The Balsillie School of International Affairs is delighted to be providing the coaching for the winners of the 2022 International Ideas Policy Challenge (IPIC) program, a Global Affairs Canada (GAC) initiative run in collaboration with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
The objective of the IPIC program is to draw on the intellectual talent of Canadian graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and early-career civil society researchers to identify concrete, innovative solutions to emerging international policy challenges faced by Canada. The program offers applicants a chance to test their skills at translating academic expertise into policy language and insights. GAC will select up to six winning proposals.
In addition to a financial award, all winners will receive mandatory coaching from BSIA. The coaching program will give winners additional assistance on their research, policy analysis and presentation skills. The coaching will include group and one-on-one sessions for which each winner will be paired with a subject-matter expert. Instruction will be provided in the official language of the application, and all sessions will be delivered online. By the end of the program, winners will have a deeper understanding of GAC, of Canada’s foreign policy and international assistance and trade, and of international and multilateral considerations relevant to their areas of specialization. During the program, winners will also learn how to prepare a policy brief, develop policy recommendations and present their ideas in a compelling manner.
The winners will present their briefs to GAC officials as part of the virtual Ideas Symposium, which will take place in late 2022.