CIDOB, Among the Best Think Tanks in the World

CIDOB entre los mejores centros de pensamiento_noticia

The annual report "Global Go To Think Tank" has again recognized the independence of thought of CIDOB, giving it the distinction of an eighth place ranking out of the 148 centers that appear in the category of the best independent think tanks.

CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) reaffirms its position among the top think tanks in the world ranking at number 60 in the annual report "Global Go To Think Tank" conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, now in its 10th edition.  For the third consecutive year, CIDOB maintains the 28th place in the category that evaluates the best think tanks in the world excluding North American centers (28 out of 150). In Western Europe, it keeps the position of previous years (16 out of 125) and holds its position as the best think tank in Southern Europe.

Jordi Bacaria, CIDOB’s general director: “The report is an acknowledgment of the research quality and the intellectual independence to carry out our work”

He has also emphasized that CIDOB "maintains the good positions of previous years" and has highlighted its entry into two categories: Best Policy Study-Report Produced by a Think Tank, an acknowledgment of the institution's research work, and the eighth position in the category of Best Independent Think Tanks, which values CIDOB's independence.

The “Global Go To Think Tank” report, led by Dr. James G. McGann and conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, has ranked the main think tanks in the world into different categories since 2006. It is designed to identify the centers of excellence in different research areas on public policies. The main categories, which are subdivided into other categories, are: TopThink Tanks in the World, Top Think Tanks by Region, Top Think Tanks by Area of Research, Top Think Tanks by Special Achievement

In the category, Top Think Tanks by Special Achievement, there are subcategories such as:

  • Best Independent Think Tanks: CIDOB ranks 8 out of 148; an acknowledgement to quality, independent and honest research.

  • Think Thanks to Watch: CIDOB goes up two positions to 5th place out of 105 in a category that awards centers with progress in research in 2016.

  • Best Policy Study-Report Produced by a Think Tank: For the first time, CIDOB is included in this category for the paper “Charting the future of the Atlantic”, which is part of a series of papers produced in the framework of the Atlantic Future, a European research project led by CIDOB that assessed the current and future transatlantic relations.

  • Best think tank network: CIDOB is in the position 55 out of 85 other think tanks.

In categories that classify centers by areas of research, CIDOB ranks  60 out of 133 among the best think tanks in foreign policy and international affairs; and ranks 63 out of 110 among the best think tanks in defense and national security.

Brookings Institution (USA), Chatham House (UK), French Institute of International Relations (France), Center for Strategic and International Studies (USA), and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (USA) lead in the rankings of the 175Best Think Tanks in the World, while Chatham House has been valued as the Best Think Tanks of 2016.

CIDOB joins the Think Tank Summit, a global network of think tanks

A group of 50 think tanks, including CIDOB, has recently set up The Think Tank Summit Planning Committee. This committee aims to reflect on the political and organizational challenges faced by think tanks in different regions of the world. Outstanding centers such as the Brookings Institution (USA), Bruegel (Belgium), Carnegie Middle East (Lebanon) Chatham House (UK), Fundação Getulio Vargas (Brazil), Gateway House (India) or Kenia Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) (Kenia) are also members of this committee that has already organized more than 25 international conferences consolidating a global network of think tanks.

The “Global Go To Think Tank” is the leading international index that assesses the work and impact of think tanks and is the result of an open nomination process followed by the review of a committee of experts. As part of this nomination process, the 6.846 think tanks cataloged in the Think Tanks and Social Civil Program database have been contacted and encouraged to participate, in addition to  4.750 journalists, policy makers, public and private donors, research centers and specialists in thematic and regional areas.

The 2016 “Global Go To Think Tank” Index was officially presented this morning in Washington at 9 am (3 pm in Barcelona) at the headquarters of Center for Strategic and International Studies. In order to present its results, CIDOB -similar discussions will also take place with over 100 IGOs and NGOs around the world- organizes a discussion session that will take place at 6.30pm this afternoon (Thursday 26 January) on the role of think tanks in our society titled, What is the role of think tanks in the post-truth world?

The 2016 Global Go To Think Tank IndexReport is available at: http://repository.upenn.edu/think_tanks/12/