During the 1990s, the work of the IK Foundation took it beyond its traditional Nordic boundaries, and today the search for knowledge and information related to natural and cultural history crosses all geographical and political frontiers around the world.

IK believes that the dissemination of information about natural and cultural history in our fast changing world is more important today than it has ever been. For that reason IK always maintains a direct connection between research and output. In other words, the results of a research project are also to be presented beyond the research community, while a publishing or exhibition project, for example, has always been preceded by and based upon advanced research - both theoretical and practical.

The IK Foundations, through its research and publications, promotes interdisciplinary thinking, in-depth knowledge and long-term results that will reach the widest possible audience and range of collections. To achieve its aims with regard to the processing of knowledge, IK harnesses research and scholarship, the outcome of which can be presented in many different ways, by means of Field work, Expeditions, Research projects, Publicising, Publishing, Exhibitions and Philanthropy. To these ends, IK is continually expanding its global network by making contact with new people, organisations and cultures. Discussions include research, production and project funding. An organically evolving vibrant network of creativity, inspiration, comment, criticism and production - the IK world!

The IK organisation is structured - purely and simply - to facilitate the making of swift and considered judgements that speed up the decision-making process and thereby encourage projects that might otherwise be difficult to complete.