The CIC is a non-partisan, nationwide research council established to strengthen Canada's foreign policy. It promotes research and dialogue on international affairs issues through a network that crosses academic disciplines, policy areas and economic sectors. The privately funded CIC research program features a number of dedicated working groups and promotes competitively selected research fellows who focus on Canada's most important foreign policy issues and work out of universities and research institutions across the country.

The CIC's council activities offer Canadian corporate, academic, media, and policy communities the opportunity to participate in an important forum on international issues, operating on the premise that the application of expert and evidence-based research on complex international issues provides the cornerstone for effective policy making.