Institute of Policy Studies (Pakistan)
Encyclopedia
Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), Islamabad
, is an autonomous, not for profit
, civil society
organization, dedicated to promoting policy-oriented research. Established in 1979, IPS provides a forum for informed discussion and dialogue on national and international issues. The contributions spanning over thirty years and the overall impact signifies the importance of pragmatic research on policy issues. The institute highlights the role for think tank
s in modern democratic
polity.
IPS achieves its objectives through a wide range of activities and outcomes ranging from seminar
s, symposia
, conferences
and roundtables on multi-dimensional topics to reports, periodicals and publications, Interaction, dialogue , thematic research and capacity-building programs are instrumental in its research endeavors. IPS formulates viable plans and presents key initiatives and policy measures to policy makers, analysts, political leaders, legislators, researchers, academia, civil society organization, media and other stakeholders. IPS believes in good governance
, transparency (behavior), professionalism, and program effectiveness. IPS strictly upholds its independence, credibility and Integrity. It operates as a self-financed think-tank through endowment
s, sponsorships, voluntary services and private donation
s. Aside from its periodicals, publications and membership fees it generates revenues by providing consultancy services.
IPS has defined Pakistan Affairs, International Relations and Religion and Faith as its major areas of research and has developed an effective system of coordination of research
activities by local and foreign scholars through a dedicated team of research coordinators. Through this scheme of work IPS is not only able to conduct in-house research on areas of interest but also coordinates research activities by IPS associates working at their respective places. Its academic programs are designed and run under the supervision of National Academic Council (NAC), which plays a pivotal role in functioning of IPS by providing policy guidelines, reviewing its plans and setting its priorities. IPS garners collaboration as well as extends its active cooperation to other organizations in one or more areas of research. Such coordination could be time- specific or discipline-based for conducting joint research, cosponsoring of seminars and exchange of library
and other facilities. IPS currently reciprocates with a number of national and international institutions and is engaged in scholars’ exchange arrangements with various research institutions within Pakistan
and abroad.
Books
Some of the recent publications
Upcoming publications
Director General
Research Team
Administration
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, is an autonomous, not for profit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
, civil society
Civil society
Civil society is composed of the totality of many voluntary social relationships, civic and social organizations, and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society, as distinct from the force-backed structures of a state , the commercial institutions of the market, and private criminal...
organization, dedicated to promoting policy-oriented research. Established in 1979, IPS provides a forum for informed discussion and dialogue on national and international issues. The contributions spanning over thirty years and the overall impact signifies the importance of pragmatic research on policy issues. The institute highlights the role for think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
s in modern democratic
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
polity.
IPS achieves its objectives through a wide range of activities and outcomes ranging from seminar
Seminar
Seminar is, generally, a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization. It has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is...
s, symposia
Symposium
In ancient Greece, the symposium was a drinking party. Literary works that describe or take place at a symposium include two Socratic dialogues, Plato's Symposium and Xenophon's Symposium, as well as a number of Greek poems such as the elegies of Theognis of Megara...
, conferences
Meeting
In a meeting, two or more people come together to discuss one or more topics, often in a formal setting.- Definitions :An act or process of coming together as an assembly for a common purpose....
and roundtables on multi-dimensional topics to reports, periodicals and publications, Interaction, dialogue , thematic research and capacity-building programs are instrumental in its research endeavors. IPS formulates viable plans and presents key initiatives and policy measures to policy makers, analysts, political leaders, legislators, researchers, academia, civil society organization, media and other stakeholders. IPS believes in good governance
Governance
Governance is the act of governing. It relates to decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It consists of either a separate process or part of management or leadership processes...
, transparency (behavior), professionalism, and program effectiveness. IPS strictly upholds its independence, credibility and Integrity. It operates as a self-financed think-tank through endowment
Financial endowment
A financial endowment is a transfer of money or property donated to an institution. The total value of an institution's investments is often referred to as the institution's endowment and is typically organized as a public charity, private foundation, or trust....
s, sponsorships, voluntary services and private donation
Donation
A donation is a gift given by physical or legal persons, typically for charitable purposes and/or to benefit a cause. A donation may take various forms, including cash, services, new or used goods including clothing, toys, food, and vehicles...
s. Aside from its periodicals, publications and membership fees it generates revenues by providing consultancy services.
IPS has defined Pakistan Affairs, International Relations and Religion and Faith as its major areas of research and has developed an effective system of coordination of research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
activities by local and foreign scholars through a dedicated team of research coordinators. Through this scheme of work IPS is not only able to conduct in-house research on areas of interest but also coordinates research activities by IPS associates working at their respective places. Its academic programs are designed and run under the supervision of National Academic Council (NAC), which plays a pivotal role in functioning of IPS by providing policy guidelines, reviewing its plans and setting its priorities. IPS garners collaboration as well as extends its active cooperation to other organizations in one or more areas of research. Such coordination could be time- specific or discipline-based for conducting joint research, cosponsoring of seminars and exchange of library
Library
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
and other facilities. IPS currently reciprocates with a number of national and international institutions and is engaged in scholars’ exchange arrangements with various research institutions within Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and abroad.
Funding sources
Endowments, Sponsorships and Memberships, Professional Training Programmes, Seminars & Publications, Collaboration and Contract ResearchPublications
Journals- Policy Perspectives (English Bi-annual)
- Nuqta-e Nazar (Urdu Bi-annual)
Books
- Over 200 titles
Some of the recent publications
- Essays on Muslims and the Challenges of GlobalizationGlobalizationGlobalization refers to the increasingly global relationships of culture, people and economic activity. Most often, it refers to economics: the global distribution of the production of goods and services, through reduction of barriers to international trade such as tariffs, export fees, and import...
- Asr-e Hazir and Shariat-e Islami (Urdu)
- Afghans in Pakistan: Plight, Predicament and the Way Forward
- Policy Perspectives, Special Issue on Afghanistan
- Pakistan's Economic Journey: Need for New Paradigm for Development
Upcoming publications
- Policy Perspectives, Special Focus on Middle EastMiddle EastThe Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
- Study on Pakistan's Religious Educational Institutions
IPS Team
Chairman- Prof. Khurshid Ahmad
Director General
- Khalid Rahman
Research Team
- Prof. Anis Ahmad (PhD), Vice Chairman and Senior Research Fellow (Comparative Religions)
- Prof. Safir Akhtar (PhD), Senior Research Fellow (Pakistan Studies)
- Tarik Jan, Senior Research Fellow (Pak Studies and International Relations)
- A.I. Shafaq Hashemi, Senior Research Fellow
- Irfan Shahzad, Lead Coordinator (China, Economy, Development and Globalization), Assistant Editor, Policy Perspectives
- Saleem Zafar, Research Coordinator (International Relations) Assistant Editor, Policy Perspectives
- Nadeen Farhat Gilani, Research Coordinator (Pakistan Affairs)
- Ms. Sammar Javed, Coordinator Women Section
- Awais bin Wasi, Asstt. Research Coordinator (Pak India Relations and Kashmir)
- Muttaqeen ur Rehman, Editor
- Ms. Maria Khawer, Web Editor
- Ms. Rashida Hameed, Asstt. Research Coordinator (China, Middle East)
- Ali Yousafzai, Asstt. Research Coordinator (Afghanistan)
- Ikram ul Haq, Asstt. Research Coordinator (Religious Education Institutions)
Administration
- Tayyeb Siddiqui, Manger Admin & HR
- Shakil Imran, Manager Publications
- Faheem Ashraf, Dy. Manager Finance