Centre for International Governance Innovation

The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is a Canadian not-for-profit, non-partisan think tank based in Waterloo, Ontario in Canada that conducts research, holds conferences, and publishes working papers and books, and makes policy recommendations on international governance issues. CIGI focuses on international relations, global economic policy and multilateral policy-making.

CIGI is presently headquartered in the former Seagram Museum in Waterloo, Canada. Its executive director is Dr. John English. CIGI's Distinguished Fellows include Paul Heinbecker, Canada's former Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Louise Fréchette, former Deputy Secretary-General to the United Nations.

History

CIGI was founded by Jim Balsillie, who, together with Mike Lazaridis, his co-CEO at Research In Motion (RIM), made a donation in 2002 to establish the Centre in Waterloo, Canada. In 2003, the Government of Canada provided a matching grant.

Research

CIGI conducts research in six areas: shifting global order; environment and resources; health and social governance; trade and finance; international law, institutions and diplomacy; and global and human security.

Along with its research, CIGI initiated the online network, IGLOO (International Governance Leaders and Organizations Online) created for knowledge exchange between individuals and organizations studying, working or advising on global issues. IGLOO provides free access to an online library, as well as communities, forums, blogs and a personal workspace.

CIGI holds an annual Conference for International Governance Innovation to gather leading experts and policymakers from Canada and around the world to discuss possible solutions to the issues raised by CIGI's research. The conference websites are [http://cigi05.org/ CIGI '05] , [http://cigi06.org/ CIGI '06] and [http://cigi07.org/ CIGI '07] , [http://cigi08.org/ CIGI '08] .

Partners

CIGI has partnered with over 150 organizations such as the University of Toronto's Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, Oxford University and the Centre for Global Studies (CFGS) to ensure its work is internationally relevant and useful.

CIGI partners fall into four distinct categories: research and educational, information and communication technology and financial and knowledge partners.

CIGI's "research and educational partners" include: Wilfrid Laurier University,World Health Organization (WHO), Stanford University, Council on Foreign Relations, United Nations Foundation - Better World Fund, OECD, World Bank - Compact Seminars on Development, Human Rights Watch and Overseas Development Institute.

CIGI has partnered with Brookings Institution, C.D. Howe Institute, Inter-American Dialogue, Ford Institute for Human Security and International Crisis Organization, a few of the growing number of "information and communication technology partners".

CIGI's "financial partners" include the University of Waterloo and Princeton University and the Canadian Institute of International Affairs (CIIA) is one of CIGI's "knowledge partners".

External links

* [http://www.cigionline.org/ CIGI Official Site]
* [http://www.cigionline.org/cigi/aboutusv/people~1/internat CIGI's International Board of Governors]
* [http://www.igloo.org/ IGLOO Official Site]
* [http://www.portalfornorthamerica.org/ CIGI's Portal for North America]