本文試圖從人才運用的角度，呈現過去常被稱為國民黨智庫的「國際關係研究中心」的另外一面，尤其著重該單位於 1975年改隸國立政治大學之前的歷史。透過比較其前身 —國民黨於抗戰時期成立的「國際問題研究所」，作者強調該智庫的出現是由於國家出現危機，而於現有情報架構外迅速成立的專業對敵分析單位。除了透過蒐集情報與研究敵人政經制度以協助國家領袖研判情勢外，該單位也具有宣傳與養士的功能。這種架構並非常態性政府組織，其存在容易受政治影響，故其缺陷在危機消失後也逐漸顯現出來。

This article analyzes the history of the Institute of International Relations (IIR), a Kuomintang think tank, from the perspective of the personal contributions of its key staff before its formal establishment in 1975 as part of National Chengchi University. The IIR was constructed from existing intelligence units to deal with a national crisis. In addition to intelligence collection and studying the enemy’s economy and politics, the organization developed propaganda functions and assembled scholars. Problems with its construction emerged when the national crisis eased.