University of PennsylvaniaScholarlyCommonsTTCSP Global Go To Think Tank Index Reports Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP)1-31-20182017 Global Go To Think Tank Index ReportJames G. McGannUniversity of Pennsylvania, jmcgannsas.upenn.eduFollow this and additional works at:repository.upenn.edu/think_tanksPart of theInternational and Area Studies Commons2018 Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this report 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,Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program.All requests, questions and comments should be sent to:James G. McGann, Ph.D.Senior Lecturer, International StudiesDirectorThink Tanks and Civil Societies ProgramThe Lauder Institute University of PennsylvaniaTelephone: (215) 746-2928Email:jmcgannwharton.upenn.eduMcGann, James G., "2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report" (2018).TTCSP Global Go To Think Tank Index Reports. 13.repository.upenn.edu/think_tanks/132017 Global Go To Think Tank Index ReportAbstractBackground on the Think Tanks and Civil Societies ProgramThe Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) of the Lauder Institute at the University ofPennsylvania conducts research on the role policy institutes play in governments and civil societies around theworld. Often referred to as the “think tanks think tank,” TTCSP examines the evolving role and character ofpublic policy research organizations. Over the last 26 years, the TTCSP has developed and led a series ofglobal initiatives that have helped bridge the gap between knowledge and policy in critical policy areas such asinternational peace and security, globalization and governance, international economics, environmentalissues, information and society, poverty alleviation, and healthcare and global health. These internationalcollaborative efforts are designed to establish regional and international networks of policy institutes andcommunities that improve policy making while strengthening democratic institutions and civil societiesaround the world.The TTCSP works with leading scholars and practitioners from think tanks and universities in a variety ofcollaborative efforts and programs, and produces the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index that ranks theworlds leading think tanks in a variety of categories. This is achieved with the help of a panel of over 1,900peer institutions and experts from the print and electronic media, academia, public and private donorinstitutions, and governments around the world. We have strong relationships with leading think tanks aroundthe world, and our annual Think Tank Index is used by academics, journalists, donors and the public to locateand connect with the leading centers of public policy research around the world. Our goal is to increase theprofile and performance of think tanks and raise the public awareness of the important role think tanks play ingovernments and civil societies around the globe.Since its inception in 1989, the TTCSP has focused on collecting data and conducting research on think tanktrends and the role think tanks play as civil society actors in the policymaking process. In 2007, the TTCSPdeveloped and launched the global index of think tanks, which is designed to identify and recognize centers ofexcellence in all the major areas of public policy research and in every region of the world. To date TTCSP hasprovided technical assistance and capacity building programs in 81 countries. We are now working to createregional and global networks of think tanks in an effort to facilitate collaboration and the production of amodest yet achievable set of global public goods. Our goal is to create lasting institutional and state-levelpartnerships by engaging and mobilizing think tanks that have demonstrated their ability to produce highquality policy research and shape popular and elite opinion and actions for public good.DisciplinesInternational and Area Studies | Social and Behavioral SciencesComments2018 Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced or utilized in any form or byany means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by information storage orretrieval system, without written permission from the University of Pennsylvania, Think Tanks and CivilSocieties Program.All requests, questions and comments should be sent to:This other is available at ScholarlyCommons:repository.upenn.edu/think_tanks/13James G. McGann, Ph.D.Senior Lecturer, International StudiesDirectorThink Tanks and Civil Societies ProgramThe Lauder Institute University of PennsylvaniaTelephone: (215) 746-2928Email:jmcgannwharton.upenn.eduThis other is available at ScholarlyCommons:repository.upenn.edu/think_tanks/13 1 This other is available at Scholarly Commons: repository.upenn.edu/think_tanks/ After 2.10.2018 COPY OF RECORD WILL BE P0POSTED MARCH 1ST, 2018 This copy reflects corrections and edits as of 1.31.2018 Think Tanks & Civil Societies Program The Lauder Institute The University of Pennsylvania 2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report 2 Think Tanks & Civil Societies Program The Lauder Institute The University of Pennsylvania “Helping to bridge the gap between knowledge and policy” Researching the trends and challenges facing think tanks, policy makers, and policy-oriented civil society groups. Sustaining, strengthening, and building capacity for think tanks around the world. Maintaining the largest, most comprehensive database of over 6,500 think tanks. All requests, questions, and comments should be directed to: James G. McGann, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer, International Studies Director Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program The Lauder Institute University of Pennsylvania Telephone: (215) 746-2928 Email: jmcgannwharton.upenn.edu 2018 Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this report 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, Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program. 3 Acknowledgements The 2017 edition of the Global Go To Think Tank Index Report marks the 11th edition of the report and I want to thank all the interns, peers and experts who have helped make the report a valuable resource for policy makers, policy-oriented civil society organizations and the public. The Go To Index is now used to identify and recognize centers of excellence in policy research, forge knowledge and policy partnerships and create a global think tank village. I want to express my deep appreciation to the 3750 plus university faculty and administrators, journalists, policy makers, think tank scholars and executives, and donors from every region of the world that participated in the 2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index (GGTTI). I would like to thank the over 900 functional area and regional specialists who served as expert panelists and provided valuable insights and assistance as I compiled the report. Thank you also to my research interns for their help in compiling and analyzing the data for the 2017 Index. They, in conjunction with the regional research intern team, put in long hours to help improve the quality and appearance of the Index. A special thanks to the director and staff of the Lauder Institute for their help and support. I would also like to express my appreciation to the Wilson Center and the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC and the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York for hosting panel discussions on “Why Think Tanks Matter in Era of Digital and Political Disruptions” on January 30, 2018 in conjunction with the launch of the 2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index. Finally, I want to thank the more than 170 host and partner institutions around the world that have agreed to host think tank events in approximately 75 countries and 100 cities. Once again thank you for helping the TTCSP highlight the important role think tanks play in civil societies and governments around the world. James G. McGann Senior Lecturer, International Studies Director Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program Lauder Institute University of Pennsylvania 4 Table of Contents Introduction 6 2017 Trends and Transitions in Think Tanks and Policy Advice 13 Modifications and Enhancements to 2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index 26 Methodology and Timeline 29 2017 Think Tank Statistics 36 2017 Ranking Categories 45 2017 Global Go To Ranking Results 56 Top Think Tanks by Region 67 Top Think Tanks by Area of Research 96 Top Think Tanks by Special Achievement 131 Appendices 190 Background on the Think Tank and Civil Societies Program 197 The Research Team 199 5 “Helping to bridge the gap between knowledge and policy” The mission of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) is to increase the profile, capacity and performance of think tanks at the national, regional and global levels so they can better serve policy makers and the public. The TTCSP conducts research on the relationship between think tanks, politics and public policy, produces the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index, develops capacity-building resources and programs, manages and supports a global network of close to 7000 think tanks and trains future think tank scholars and executives. The TTCSP often is referred to as the “think tanks think tank”. 6 Introduction The 2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index (GGTTI) marks the eleventh year of continued efforts by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania to acknowledge the important contributions and emerging global trends of think tanks worldwide. Our initial effort to generate a ranking of the worlds leading think tanks in 2006 was a response to a series of requests from donors, government officials, journalists, and scholars to produce regional and international rankings of the worlds preeminent think tanks. Since its inception, our ongoing objective for the GGTTI report is to gain understanding of the role think tanks play in governments and civil societies. Using this knowledge, we hope to assist in improving the capacity and performance of think tanks around the world. Since 2006, the ranking process has been refined and streamlined, and the number and scope of the institutions and individuals involved has steadily grown. The process, as in past years, relies on a shared definition of public policy research, analysis, and engagement organizations, a detailed set of selection criteria, and an increasingly open and transparent nominations and selection process. As part of the nominations process, all 7,815 think tanks catalogued in the TTCSPs Global Think Tank Database were contacted and encouraged to participate in the nomination and ranking process. In addition to over 62,000 journalists, policy makers, public and private donors, and functional and regional area specialists on the TTCSP listserv were invited to participate and over 4000 fully or partially completed the nomination and ranking surveys. Finally, a group of peers and experts was asked to help rank and review the list of public policy research centers of distinction for 2017. To refine and validate the generated ranking lists, TTCSP assembled Expert Panels comprised of hundreds of members from a wide variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Additionally, new media the website and social media presence helped us communicate and disseminate information about criteria for this years Index to a wider audience (please see “Methodology and Timeline” for the complete set of nomination and ranking criteria, and “Appendices” for a detailed explication of the ranking process). Given the rigor and scope of the nomination and selection processes, the rankings produced thus far have been described as the insiders guide to the global marketplace of ideas. As a final note, we would like to remind you that the data collection, research, and analysis for this project, as in previous years, were conducted without the benefit of field research, a budget, or staff. Despite these limitations we are confident of the quality and integrity of the findings given the number of peers and experts from around the world who have taken the time to participate in the process. 7 We are confident that the peer nomination and selection process, as well as the work of the international Expert Panels, have enabled us to create the most authoritative list of high performance think tanks in the world. Still, efforts to streamline and perfect the process are ongoing. We are continually seeking ways to enhance the process and welcome your comments and suggestions. We further encourage you to provide the names and contact information for prospective expert panelists for functional and regional areas covered by the Index. Thank you for your continued support of the TTCSP and of the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index. We hope our efforts to highlight the important contributions and emerging global trends of think tanks worldwide will foster insightful discussions and debates on the present and future roles of these vital institutions. 8 What is a Think Tank? Think tanks are public-policy research analysis and engagement organizations that generate policy-oriented research, analysis, and advice on domestic and international issues, thereby enabling policy makers and the public to make informed decisions about public policy. Think tanks may be affiliated or independent institutions that are structured as permanent bodies, not ad hoc commissions. These institutions often act as a bridge between the academic and policymaking communities and between states and civil society, serving in the public interest as independent voices that translate applied and basic research into a language that is understandable, reliable, and accessible for policy makers and the public (Think Tanks and Policy Advice in the US, Routledge 2007 and in The Fifth Estate: Think Tanks, Public Policy, and Governance, Brookings Institution Press 2016) In an effort to bridge these conceptual problems and create a typology that takes into consideration the comparative differences in political systems and civil societies, we have developed a number of categories for think tanks. Think tanks may perform many roles in their host societies there is, in fact, wide variation among think tanks in the work they do and the extent to which they do it. Over the last 87 years, several distinct organizational forms of think tanks have emerged that differentiate themselves in terms of their operating styles, patterns of recruitment, and aspirations to