The Innovation, Policy and Science (IPS) Program Area complements IDRC’s three other Program Areas: Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D), Environment and Natural Resources Management (ENRM), and Social and Economic Policy (SEP).  It focuses on supporting the development of science, technology and innovation policies to alleviate poverty in developing countries. Research supported by IPS aims at strengthening the evidence base for science, technology and innovation policy-making processes at local, national, regional and international levels.  The Program Area also supports research on questions of governance, public understanding, access and benefits associated with new transformative technologies like biotechnology and nanotechnology.  IPS encourages the involvement of all concerned stakeholders in order to bring the perspective of low and middle income countries, as well as marginalized groups in addressing the social, environmental and economic impacts of new science, technology and innovation policies.

IPS also serves as a platform within IDRC to ensure that Canadian research and science policy communities maintain international cooperation and development as important priorities for Canada’s research efforts.  IPS oversees strategic directions for the new IDRC Challenge Fund, which was created to provide a financial incentive to strengthen research partnerships between developing country scientists and Canadian researchers.  In 2005, the Challenge Fund was used to support the launch of a major new partnership initiative, the Teasdale-Corti Global Health Research Partnership, involving the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), CIDA, Health Canada and IDRC.

IPS is also responsible for two major IDRC research activities: Research on Knowledge Systems and New Technologies.