A non-profit organization, the IAI is funded by individual and corporate members, public and private organizations, major international foundations, and by a standing grant from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Institute’s main objective is to promote an understanding of the problems of international politics through studies, research, meetings and publications, with the aim of increasing the opportunities of all countries to move in the direction of supranational organization, democratic freedom and social justice.
The Institute offers members and non members standard and personalized services. An example of the latter is the Laboratorio di Politica Internazionale (International Affairs Laboratory). An interdisciplinary approach and policy-oriented objectives characterize the Institute’s analysis of international events.
The IAI strives to maintain a global perspective, evaluating Italian positions with respect to those of other international actors. To this end, the Institute has involved an increasing number of foreign researchers in its projects, and has strengthened its ties with similar institutes abroad through regular bilateral and multilateral meetings.
In addition, the IAI belongs to the following international networks of research centres: the Council for Asia-Europe Cooperation (CAEC); the Conflict Prevention Network (CPN); the European Security Analysis Network (ESAN); the European Strategy Group (ESG); the Mediterranean Study Commission (EuroMeSCo); and the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA). Istituto Affari Internazionali is a cooperating partner of the International Relations and Security Network (ISN).