Deadline: March 2, 2026
Applications are open for the International Policy Ideas Challenge 2026. Global Affairs Canada (GAC), in collaboration with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), is pleased to announce the ninth edition of the International Policy Ideas Challenge (IPIC). The objective of the program is to draw on the network of talented 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. Applicants are invited to submit brief proposals. GAC will select between 5 and 10 submissions and provide coaching/mentoring to the winning candidates for further developing their proposals into full policy briefs with actionable recommendations. Winners will present their briefs to Government of Canada officials as part of a virtual session that will take place in December 2026.
Benefits
- Between 5 and 10 awards will be granted. For each winning proposal, $5,000 will be provided to the lead (or sole) researcher upon formal presentation and submission of the final brief to GAC and SSHRC.
- In addition to the financial award, all winners will receive mandatory coaching/mentoring as a team on their research, policy analysis and presentation skills. The coaching/mentoring 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, SSHRC and Canada’s international policies 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 to policymakers in a compelling manner.
Eligibility
- The International Policy Ideas Challenge invites applications from current graduate students (Master’s or PhD level) and post-doctoral fellows enrolled at a recognized Canadian or international post-secondary institution.
- Researchers affiliated with a Canadian non-profit organization (e.g., a non-governmental organization or a think tank) who are within 6 years of graduation from a graduate program at a recognized post-secondary institution will also be considered.
- Applicants must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
- Indeterminate and term employees of the Government of Canada are not eligible to apply. Additionally, employees of GAC, including students and casuals, are not eligible to apply.
- Team applications, with a maximum of 3 members, are permitted; however, a lead researcher must be identified. A team application that includes collaborators from other universities is permitted. In the case of a team application, all members are expected to meet the above requirements.
Application
To apply, send the following items as PDF file attachments to [email protected].
- Proposal (not to exceed 750 words) signed by the lead researcher and saved as a separate PDF file; the lead applicant’s first and last names should be indicated in the upper right-hand corner of the proposal
- Curriculum Vitae for the lead researcher, including contact information
- University-issued enrolment verification or most recently completed graduate degree (GAC reserves the right to request an official transcript)
- One confidential letter of reference (academic or professional) from a supervisor familiar with the lead applicant’s research skills, to be sent directly by the referee to [email protected]
- Biography of lead researcher and, if applicable, short biographies of collaborators
Only complete applications will be assessed. Proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee on a combination of quality, relevance, feasibility, and originality of the idea, as well as the capability and qualifications of the individual(s) to carry the idea to research and policy brief phases. A higher weighting will be awarded to proposals that explore a topic with an integrated and crosscutting approach, combining foreign, economic, and international assistance policy dimensions of the topic.
For more information, visit International Policy Ideas Challenge.
