International Relations Program Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program Bridging the Gap Between Knowledge and Policy International Relations Program Think

International Relations Program Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program

Bridging the Gap Between Knowledge and Policy


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The 2009 Global Go-To Think Tank Rankings (aka Global Think Tank Index)

United Nations UniversityCurrent Affairs Series

Thursday, January 21, 2009


“The challenge for the new millennium is to harness the vast reservoir of knowledge, information, and associational energy that exist in public policy research organizations in every region of the world for public good.” (Think Tanks and Policy Advice McGann 2007)


Presentation Outline

• Nomination Methodology

• Selection Criteria

• Nomination Results

• Ranking Voters

• Final Process

• Final Ranking Categories


What is a think tank?

Think tank:

•Knowledge-based, policy-oriented institutions

•Serve governments, intergovernmental organizations, and civil society

•Generate policy-oriented research, analysis, and advice on domestic and international issues

•Engage policymakers, ,the media and the public on key policy issues

•Enable policymakers and the public to make informed decisions about public policy issues


Introduction to Think Tanks 5


Recent Think Tank Trends



International Relations Program Think Tanks and Civil Societies ProgramInternational Relations Program Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program



• Overview of the 2009 GGTTT Rankings Process

Think tank profile surveys sent to over 6000 think tanks (Spring & Summer) Call for nominations for the GGTTT Rankings Expert Panel (Aug.) 300 Expert Panelists are Nominated and all but 5 agree to participate (Sept.) Expert Panelists submit nominations Round I 400 TTs are nominated (Sept.

Oct.) Round II Nominations Process Opened to 1000 individuals and institutions

(Nov. Dec.) Write in nominations are available for all categories. 205 people participate in Round II

Round III 8500 individuals are invited to participate in the final selection of 2009 Global Go To Think Tanks. 740 partipate in the final round (Dec. Jan.)

Over 1200 experts, peers and public and private donors participated in the nominations and selection process. (Sept. 09 - Jan. 10)


Nomination Methodology

• Relying on previous studies, national and global think tank directories and databases, TTCSP annual think tank survey all known think tanks and experts in the field, 6030 institutions were considered for possible inclusion in the study.

• Over 300 individuals representing international group of scholars, former think tank executives, public and private donors, journalists and policymakers were nominated to serve on an Expert Panel.

• The panel of Experts nominated a slate of institutions 2009 Global Think Tank Rankings. Each institution had to receive two or more nominations to be included in the universe of institutions that would be ranked.


Selection Criteria

• A detailed set of criteria were used guide the nomination and selections process.

• The greatest challenge in assessing these institutions (many of which are, by the very nature of their work, political) is to abstract from subjective characteristics and focus rather than universal, concrete features.

• The following criteria were intended to help provide a metric for identifying the top think tanks in the world.


Selection Criteria

• Direct relationship between organization’s efforts in a particular area, and positive change in that area.

• Extent to which respected publishers agree to publish an organization’s works.

• Ability to retain elite scholars and analysts.

• Access to elites in the area of policymaking, media, and academia.

• Academic reputation (formal accreditation; citations; publication in major academic books, journals, conferences, etc.)

1/4


Selection Criteria

• Media reputation

• Reputation with policymakers

• Level of organization’s financial resources

• Ability to meet the demands of funders or to meet the goals of its respective grant-making institution.

• Overall output of organization


2/4


Selection Criteria

• Number of recommendations adopted by policymakers, staff serving advisory roles to policymakers, awards given to scholars.

• Usefulness of organization’s information in advocacy work, preparing legislation or testimony, preparing academic papers or presentations, conducting research, or teaching.

• Ability to produce new knowledge or alternative ideas on policy.

3/4


Selection Criteria

• Ability to bridge the knowledge gap between policymakers and “on the ground” realities.

• Ability to include new voices in the policymaking process.

• Organization’s ability to be the hub for or central actor in issue and policy networks.

• Success in challenging the traditional wisdom of policymakers and the public.

4/4


Nomination Results

• An institution had to receive two or more nominations to be eligible for a ranking.

• Approximately 392 institutions were identified for ranking through this process.

• U.S. think tanks were ranked separately.


Profile of those who participated in GGTTT Rankings

• From the list of 407 think tanks final voting panelists were then asked to identify the top think tanks in the world by region, research area and areas of distinction.

• Peer and Expert Panelists included:• 300 nominated expert panelists • 125 journalists and scholars who study think tanks & NGOs • 30 current and former directors of think tank programs and networks• 15 public and private donors • 63 civil society representatives• 100s of think tanks• 35-40 intergovernmental organizations • 65 Academic institutions


Final Process• This year over 1200 peers and experts from all the groups listed participated in the

final selection process. Last year 150 individuals participated in the process.

• Participants in the rankings process included representatives from broad range of academic disciplines, political perspectives and sectors (NGO, IGO, Public and Private) and every region and most countries of the world.

• Experts and peer institutions that participated in the nominations and ranking process were able to vote on the top global think tanks, top regional think tanks and specialty categories separately so the rankings are independent from one another. This way, panelists may nominate think tanks in areas they were knowledgeable to assure proper and meaningful geographic regional representation.

• Votes were then tallied and the lists of leading think tanks developed.


• Final think tank rankings by geographic area included:– Top Think Tank in the World– Top 50 Think Tanks Worldwide– Top 30 Think Tanks- United States– Top 25 Think Tanks- North America – Top 25 Think Tanks in Latin America and the Caribbean – Top 25 Think Tanks in the Middle East and North Africa – Top 25 Think Tanks in Southern Africa (Including Sub-Saharan Africa)– Top 25 Think Tanks in Western Europe – Top 25 Think Tanks in Eastern Europe – Top 25 Think Tanks in Asia

Final Ranking Categories



• Final think tank rankings by Research Area included:– Top 10 International Development Think Tanks– Top 10 Health Policy Think Tanks– Top 10 Environment Think Tanks– Top 10 Security and International Affairs Think Tanks– Top 10 Domestic Economic Policy Think Tanks– Top 10 International Economic Policy Think Tanks– Top 10 Social Policy Think Tanks– Top 10 Science and Technology Think Tanks



• Think tanks were also categorized as Top 3 Think Tanks with Innovative Ideas and Strategies, such as:

– Think Tanks with the Most Innovative Policy/Idea Proposal – Best New Think Tank (established in the past 3-5 years)– Outstanding Policy Oriented- Public Policy Research Program– Best Use of Internet to Engage the Public– Best Use of the Media (Print or Electronic) to Communicate Programs and Research – Most Impact on Public Policy and Debates


And The Top Think Tanks for 2009 Are:• Brookings Top Think Tank (US)• Fraser Institute (Canada and Mexico)• Chatham House, (Western Europe)• Carnegie Moscow Center (Eastern and

Central Europe)


• Fundación Getulio Vargas, (Latin America)• Carnegie Middle East Center, (Middle East) • South African Institute of International Affairs

(SAIIA), (Southern Africa)• Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA)

(Asia)


• Overseas Development Institute (Int’l Devleopment)

• Harvard School of Public Health Dept of Health Policy (Health Policy)

• Pew Center on Global Climate Change, (Enviornment)

• Council on Foreign Relations (Security and International Affairs)


• Brookings Institution (Domestic Economics) • Peterson Institute for International

Economics, (International Economics)• Urban Institute (Social Policy)• RAND (Science and Technology)


• Brookings Institution (Innovative Policy Proposal)

• European Council on Foreign Relations (Best New Think Tank)

• Brookings Institution (Best Policy Research Program)

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Best Use of the Internet)


• Amnesty International (Best Use of the Print and Electronic Media)

• Center for American Progress (Most impact on Policy)


• Chatham House, UK (Top TT World-Non US)• Brookings Top Think Tank (World)


Research Team James McGann Ph.D.

Research Team:

James G. McGann, Ph.D.

– George Edwards, University of Pennsylvania– Lua O’Brien, University of Pennsylvania– Margarita Shlykova, Villanova University– Rosalyn Daitch, University

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International Relations Program Think Tanks and Civil Societies ProgramInternational Relations Program Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program

Think Tanks & Civil Societies Program©2009, University of Pennsylvania

All rights reserved. Except for short quotes, no part of this presentation may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the University of Pennsylvania.

All requests, questions and comments should be sent to:

James G. McGann, Ph.D.DirectorThink Tanks and Civil Societies ProgramUniversity of Pennsylvania635 Williams Hall255 S. 36th StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19104-6305Phone: 001 (215) 898 [email protected]

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