International Policy Ideas Challenge 2025 - Call for proposals

Global Affairs Canada (GAC), in collaboration with the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), is pleased to announce the eighth edition of the International Policy Ideas Challenge. 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 winning proposals and provide coaching/mentoring to researchers as part of further developing their proposals into full policy briefs. Winners will present their briefs to Government of Canada officials as part of the virtual Ideas Symposium, taking place in late 2025.

On this page

• Eligibility
• Financial award
• Coaching
• Themes
• Proposal requirements
• Process and timeline
• Partnership

Eligibility

The International Policy Ideas Challenge invites applications from current graduate students (Master’s or PhD level) and post-doctoral fellows at a recognized Canadian post-secondary educational institution. 

Researchers affiliated with a Canadian non-profit organization (example, 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.

Financial award

Between 5 and 10 awards will be granted. For each winning proposal, $4,000 will be provided to the lead (or sole) researcher upon submission of the final brief and formal presentation to GAC and SSHRC.

Coaching

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 in a compelling manner.

Winners are expected to fully participate in all 4 coaching/mentoring sessions. These will be delivered online during spring and summer 2025:

1. A 2-day group session on Global Affairs Canada and Canadian foreign policy 101.
2. A 1- to 2-hour one-on-one coaching/mentoring session with a coach/mentor with relevant subject-matter expertise to discuss policy brief content and potential recommendations
3. A 1- to 2-hour follow-up coaching/mentoring session with a coach/mentor to discuss the completed draft policy brief
4. A half-day group session to practice presentations

Winners will also receive a course package with key readings. The package will include guidelines on writing a persuasive policy brief and delivering an effective presentation.

Themes

Canada will host the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, from June 15-17, 2025, marking half a century of the G7. This year’s International Policy Ideas Challenge, coinciding with Canada’s G7 presidency, presents a unique opportunity to introduce fresh perspectives and actionable strategies that will shape Canada’s role on the global stage. 

As the G7 agenda and priorities continue to take shape, proposals should explore Canada’s role in tackling pressing global challenges, emphasizing innovative, collaborative solutions and how Canada’s membership in the G7 can advance these issues.

Submissions may focus on areas such as foreign policy, international security, development, or trade. Proposals that take an integrated and crosscutting approach, linking foreign policy, trade, and development considerations, will receive greater value.

To strengthen their proposals, applicants are encouraged to:

• Explain why the chosen issue matters to Canada by identifying a specific challenge or vulnerability.
• Consider the G7’s role as a consensus-driven institution and its unique membership when discussing the proposed issue.
• Review and refer to past G7 leader and ministerial declarations, communiqués, and initiatives to build on existing discussions and commitments.

Below, we have included examples of potential themes to help guide proposal development. These topics reflect issues that have appeared in recent G7 agendas at both the leaders’ and ministers’ levels, and are by no means comprehensive:

1. Economic Security and Prosperity

•  Partnerships with Developing Nations
  • The G7's Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGII) aims to fund sustainable development, emphasizing quality infrastructure that promotes economic growth and environmental sustainability.  
• Collaboration on Critical Minerals
  • The G7 has recognized the importance of securing critical mineral supply chains for clean energy and digital transitions, promoting collaboration among member nations.

2. Climate Change and Energy Security

• Strengthening Climate Cooperation
  • In 2022, the G7 established the Climate Club, an international initiative aimed at promoting global cooperation in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and accelerating decarbonization, particularly in high-emitting industries and developing economies.
  • The G7 supported the launch of Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) to assist developing countries in transitioning to cleaner energy sources while managing the social and economic impacts.

3. Transformative Digital Technology

• Emerging Technologies, Ethical AI and Responsible Innovation
  • The 2023 G7 Hiroshima Process on Generative AI established principles for safe, secure, and trustworthy AI, emphasizing risk-based governance, transparency, and international cooperation.
• Cybersecurity and Protection Against Cyber Threats
  • The G7 has agreed to establish a collectivized cybersecurity framework to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive information from cyber-attacks.

4. Transnational Threats

• Prevent and Counter the Smuggling of Migrants:
  • In October 2024, G7 Interior and Security Ministers adopted a comprehensive action plan aimed at dismantling organized criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling.
• Foreign Interference
  • The G7 continues to strengthen its collective response to foreign interference, ensuring the protection of democratic institutions and processes, including through the activities of the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM).
• Illegal Synthetic Drugs
  • April 2024, G7 leaders issued a statement affirming their joint efforts to combat the production, distribution, and sale of illicit synthetic drugs. The statement outlines commitments to raise awareness, share information, promote evidence-based practices, and enhance international cooperation in counternarcotics.

Proposal requirements

Proposals should demonstrate your ability to present ideas clearly and succinctly. Challenge winners will be required to outline how they gathered relevant evidence and conducted a rigorous analysis to develop their policy recommendations in the final policy brief.

Proposals should:

• Not exceed 750 words
• Identify which research theme(s) will be the focus of the final policy brief.
• Explain how the proposed analysis will complement and build on existing research and analysis related to the chosen research theme(s).
• Briefly describe the proposed research methodology (primary and secondary) for gathering and evaluating evidence, emphasizing original perspectives and innovative solutions.
• Explain why the proposal topic is important to Canadian foreign policy and/or Canada’s role in the G7.
• Sketch out preliminary policy recommendations to address the challenge.
• Identify actors and locations relevant to the policy idea, such as international organization(s), forum(s), partnership(s), and country(ies)/region(s) involved in the idea's successful implementation.
• For inspiration and insight, visit the International Policy Ideas Challenge winners' pages to learn about previous winners and their work.

Note:

• The final product will take the form of a policy brief, not exceeding 3,500 words, and it must include a one-page executive summary and policy recommendations.
• Coaching/mentoring sessions will take place in spring and summer 2025, and final briefs will be due in late summer/early fall 2025.
• Applicants are invited to consider SSHRC-funded research in the development of proposals.

Guidance on the use and disclosure of generative AI in the preparation of proposals

Proposals must be the original work of the applicant. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that information included in their proposals is accurate and complete and that all sources are appropriately acknowledged and referenced, including AI-generated content*. Applicants must state if and how AI has been used in the development of their application. Submissions, as well as the final policy briefs, may be subject to review using AI detection software to ensure compliance. Submissions and policy briefs that rely excessively on AI, failing to meet the originality requirement, will be disqualified. 

* AI-generated content refers to text or other materials produced by AI tools, such as large language models or automated writing software.

To Apply

To apply, please send the following items as PDF file attachments to IPIC-CIPI.POR@international.gc.ca.

• 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 IPIC-CIPI.POR@international.gc.ca
• 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.

Only successful applicants will be contacted. The names of the winners will be announced on the GAC website.

If you have other questions about this call, please send them to IPIC-CIPI.POR@international.gc.ca. Please note however that GAC cannot provide personalized advice to applicants on their individual situations or the relevance of their research to the themes of the competition. We are only able to offer general clarification of the information contained in the call for proposals.

Process and timeline

Partnership

Global Affairs Canada is pleased to acknowledge the partnership of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in this initiative.