The Centre for International and Defence Policy (CIDP) unveils new plans following six figure grant.
On Sept. 8, the University announced it has received $100, 000 from the Department of National Defence (DND) to support the CIDP. The grant, awarded through DND’s Targeted Engagement Grants program, will fund both new policy research and opportunities for students to participate in defence and security projects.
Each year, DND allocates funding through its Targeted Engagement Grants program, which supports collaborations with Canadian universities in the social sciences and humanities that align with national defence priorities. The open call for funding applications in February 2024 placed new emphasis on policy work and emerging security challenges.
In an interview with The Journal, researcher for the CIDP, Michael Murphy, explained that the allocation of the funding will go towards two main domains: research on dual-use digital infrastructure and the creation of the national conference in the first quarter of 2026. While the infrastructure portion connects more directly with engineering expertise, CIDP’s key focus is hosting the conference, which will explore Canada’s approach to quantum technology and defence strategy.
“The purpose of this conference is to bring together leaders from industry, researchers from across the country, government policy experts, and military leaders to take a 360-degree look at Canada’s strategic approach to quantum technology,” Murphy said.
When asked how the conference funding would be allocated, Murphy noted that most of the budget will support bringing different stakeholders to Kingston.
“Canada’s a big country, and I think the bulk of our expenses will be in travel and accommodations for experts and some early-career researchers who we’re bringing in to take part in the conference. Plane tickets and train tickets are all pretty pricey.”
Murphy said the University was well-positioned for the grant as the CIDP has been building research capacity in defence and security for years, particularly in rapidly evolving areas such as quantum technology, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. He added that these align closely with the DND’s policy challenge areas, helping the centre’s application stand out.
He later emphasized that the benefits of the grant extend beyond Queen’s. According to Murphy, hosting national conferences and bringing defence policy leaders to Kingston means the CIDP helps position the city as a hub for defence and security conversations. He noted that Kingston’s location between Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal, combined with its existing defence community given the Canadian Forces Base, makes it well-suited to attract new opportunities.
“There’s a real opportunity for Kingston to develop its defence industrial base and bring new jobs and new opportunities into the city,” Murphy said. “Major conferences like this put Kingston on the map for national policy discussions.”
Murphy’s final message to students is to get involved and show up to try new things.
“Show up to a speaker series, sometimes there’s free food, follow a research centre on Instagram, or join their mailing lists and just see what’s possible, because there’s a lot of really exciting stuff going on at Queen’s and at the CIDP in particular.”
Tags
CIDP, defence, defence policy, DND, Grants
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