technology: shaping social governance

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Case Study: CIGI

THE VISIONThe Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) is an independent, non-partisan leading think tank on international governance. Led by experienced practitioners and distinguished academics, CIGI supports research, forms networks, advances policy debate and generates ideas for multilateral governance improvements. Conducting an active agenda of research, events and publications, CIGI's interdisciplinary work includes collabora-tion with policy, business and academic communities around the world. CIGI's research programs focus on four themes: the global economy; the environment and energy; global development; and global security. CIGI was founded in 2001 by Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIM (Research In Motion) and today collaborates with a number of strategic partners around the world.

TEN YEARS LATER...As it marked its tenth anniversary in 2011, CIGI is really just beginning its journey. Given CIGI’s stated vision to be “the world’s leading think tank on international governance with recog-nized impact on significant global problems,” and realizing the magnitude of the issues to be tackled — global economic crises, the dangers of climate change, the immense disparities in world development and threats to security including nuclear risks and armed conflict — the road toward “recognized impact” is both long and challenging.

Helping to transform how the entire planet’s nation-states and people interact among themselves is no small objective. On September 20, 2011, CIGI opened the Balsillie School of Interna-tional Affairs (BSIA) in Waterloo, Canada, becoming the hub centre of research, ideas and creativity rooted in Waterloo’s enterprising soil, replete with leading technology firms with strong reputations for innovation.

CIGI’s tenth anniversary is an opportunity to take stock of the organization’s history and accomplishments. From it’s founding, the Centre has evolved into a hub of academic and research excellence, influencing global governance for many years to come.

Making a Difference

“This new facility allows us to attract the best talent. You would be hard pressed to find a better graduate school than this anywhere in the world”

-Fred Kuntz Vice President, Public Affairs CIGI

CLIENT: The Centre for International Governance Innovation

LOCATION: Waterloo, Canada

PROJECT: The building of the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA)

CHALLENGE

• Collaborate between researchers, residents and experts around the world in a cost effective manner • Provide a platform for international teaming on key projects. • Use video-based communication to improve organizational efficiency SOLUTION:

• Cisco TelePresence facilitates face-to-face working sessions through high-definition video • Architect, implement and maintain a secure, reliable and high-speed network infrastructure • Architect and implement client-side tools that integrate with TelePresence offering interactive tools and e-learning

RESULTS:

• Improved efficiency of meetings, training and research collaboration • Strengthened CIGI’s professional high-qualilty reputation as a leading Think Tank on International Governance • Created a new way to deliver key research findings to a highly targeted audience

Project at a GlanceTHE CHALLENGE TO DO MOREAs CIGI enters its second decade, it continues to produce 75-100 publications annually, and deploys 20-30 experts across its research programs, with plans to launch significant new research projects in the months and years ahead.

In the midst of a global financial crisis, the widespread failure to recognize the warning signs has illustrated a profound gap in our collective understanding and regula-tion of macroeconomics.

Addressing the need for greater stability in the global economy is a key focus at CIGI - particularly where there are global interdependencies. The BSIA projects Canadian values, serves Canadian interests, and recog-nizes the importance of leadership, principle, creativity and ambition in global relations.

The use of Advanced Information Technologies are vital to the institution’s mission. The ability to connect, share and collaborate easily with the world’s brightest minds – no matter where they reside - brings closer the promise that great things happen when people SEE and INTER-ACT with one another.

The safe, efficient and secure exchange of information allows CIGI to attain its mission to share ideas both between its campuses and with leading experts around the world -delivering on the synergies the centre seeks to create among its constituents.

Through the achievements of CIGI, Canada’s desire to play an ever-increasing role on the international stage is brought one step closer.

FLEXITY MEETS THE CHALLENGEAs a leading provider of voice, data, and converged and managed services for organizations throughout Canada, FlexITy was introduced to this extraordinary project to extend the uniquely open collaboration that existed between CIGI academics to the residents of the institu-tion and partners/experts located around the world.

Building Bridges from Knowledge to Power

FlexITy’s approach aligned best practices with its indus-try acumen and its strategic partnership with Cisco Systems to deliver an architecture that reduced costs and optimized critical infrastructure management overall. FlexITy’s team delivered a broad range of products and services including network infrastructure design, Unified Communications, TelePresence design (integration and support), Immersive Video Conferencing and Digital Media. Trusted by leading governmental organizations, financial service firms and telecommunications providers across Canada, FlexITy delivered to CIGI the following: 1. More efficient, personalized internal communication 2. A tool for smarter recruiting 3. Greater academic, resident and outside expert flexibility with online collaboration

THE ROAD AHEADWith a bright future ahead, CIGI remains inspired by the fundamental belief that innovations in international gov-ernance can make the world a more prosperous, sustain-able and secure place for people everywhere.

With Advanced Technologies that promote and enhance the interaction between the residents, internal experts and deliver them access to new tools such as e-learning and web and video conferencing, CIGI is able to over-come the challenges of starting small and growing rapidly.

Of course, with new technologies come new require-ments to train, maintain and enhance this environment to ensure that it remains one of the most advanced of its kind in the world – and FlexITy is prepared to meet the challenge.

CIGI will need to leverage these technologies to become even more daring in their effort to impact the economy, environment, development and security of a troubled world facing rapid change. In doing so, CIGI must remain radically ambitious. Driving the excellence of its research programs and outreach will be its desire to improve systems of governance for the good of the planet and all humankind.

“With the generous contribution of Cisco TelePresence technologies, and the professional integration of this complex platform and network by FlexITy Solutions, we not only receive high-quality video to facilitate face-to face communication, but also an intergrated solution that ensures a reliable, consistent experience for all users.”

-Neve Peric Vice President, Operations, CIGI

Advancing Ideas and Debates through Collaboration

flexity.ca866-779-FLEX (3539)

The information contained herein is confidential and shall not be shared with any party who has not received the explicit approval to do so by FlexITy.