Uncertainty and anxiety characterize the global environment that Canada and its allies find themselves in today. The Centre for International and Defence Policy (CIDP) seeks to understand this sometimes-fractious world and our place within.

Created in 1975, the Centre strives to create an environment for high-quality research, analysis, and publication on international and defence policy issues, including gender awareness, human performance enhancement, and combat motivation. The Centre also seeks to contribute to the broader public debate on defence and international policy through seminars, speakers, and its annual Kingston Conference on International Security. This well-regarded conference draws participants from the wide academic world, the government, and the military, helping to foster networks among research institutions and other non-governmental organizations in the field of national and international security. The Centre is also home to a gender lab, dedicated to exploring research and analysis on topics related to gender and defence studies.

For teaching and research, CIDP draws on the expertise of a diverse group of Centre Fellows, which include faculty members from Queen’s University and the Royal Military College of Canada, Visiting Defence Fellows seconded to the centre from the Canadian Armed Forces, the US Army, and the German Bundeswehr, post-doctoral fellows, and former government officials. CIDP also takes advantage of its location in Kingston, a city with a long connection to the Canadian Army, to work closely with the Canadian military. Many active duty officers contribute to the centre’s research and teaching activities.