The Centre for Innovation Policy and Governance (CIPG) is a research-based advisory group that aspires to excel in the area of science, technology, innovation and governance. Evolving from a study group of Indonesian scholars abroad since 2007, CIPG was officially established in Jakarta in 2010. The Centre is considered to be among the first advisory groups in Indonesia with keen interest in building Indonesian research capacities across many sectors. CIPG’s excellence rests on the rigour of their research process, and on the relevance of their activities to all stakeholders and society established through close engagements.

CIPG has four main activities, namely research, consultancy-advisory, capacity building and policy interventions; not only in Indonesia, but also in the context of South East Asia. Working under a broad theme as such, CIPG mainly focuses on major issues like: innovation management and policy, technology and social change, science and technology development strategy and policy, sustainable development, knowledge management, supply chain management, corporate governance, civil society empowerment. Several of CIPG’s associates are also affiliated with research centres in the United Kingdom. With well-experienced research staff, CIPG is becoming the leading advisory group combining sub-national and international organisations.

CIPG believes that sound evidence and solid research are vital components of any kind of empowerment and advocacy. Therefore, theis24-month capacity building and assistance programme aims on pushing inclusive participation through civil society capacity building. This is mainly done through two aspects: capacity building in research and policy advocacy.

The programme targets two main groups, indigenous and ethnic minorities, as well as gender identity across three regions. Together with CIPG, partners conduct a contextual action research followed by advocacy process, guided by research to policy principles. The learning process of partners is finalised through a reflection period where CIPG and its partners evaluate the outputs and outcomes of the project.

The project has a long-term vision towards an Indonesian society in which the human rights, particularly those of participatory policymaking, are rightfully protected and performed. The goal is to promote the development of a systemic decision-making process in civil society organisations as an important part of Indonesian society. In accordance with this goal, the project discerns its objectives as follows:

(1) to empower society through building the capacity of Indonesian CSOs so as to construct proper and thorough evidence, and

(2) to advocate inclusive participation by increasing involvement of CSOs in the policy-making process, especially at the local level.