COVID-19’s effect on think tanks in 10 headlines
Our first survey on the effect of COVID-19 on think tanks offers important insights into the concerns, challenges and opportunities that think tanks faced across the world. The following findings...
Featured video
Featured Articles
Is there a role for think tanks in impact investing?
Amid current global challenges, there’s an increasing focus on creating a new normal based on sustainable living. In turn, more and more investors are looking to...
Branding COVID-19: a name, a logo and a slogan
In times of pandemic, everything goes faster: from our perception of how time passes (we are already in July!), to the production of scientific knowledge, through the way language is...
Cybersecurity for think tanks part one: shock digitisation
The COVID-19 crisis has led to what many felt was a ‘shock digitisation’ of the world: in a matter of weeks, all day to day activities had to be digitised to support...
Cybersecurity for think tanks part five: how to create safer spaces for sensitive conversations online
Many think tanks are in the business of ‘off the record’ meetings and confidential policy advice. After all, this is one of the central offers we make to policymakers:...
Cybersecurity for think tanks part two: know your risks, threats and set up
The more aspects of your day to day operations get digitised, the more important IT-security becomes. The risk of a fast-paced ‘shock digitisation’ is that security...
Cybersecurity for think tanks part four: the bright and dark sides of Zoom
In mid-April, during a web event in our #DigitalThinkTanking series, we surveyed thinktankers on which video-conferencing tools their think tank uses for online events....
Featured Interviews
D. Dhanuraj, Founder chairman of the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR)
The Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) is an independent public policy organisation dedicated to in-depth research and scientific analysis with the objective of...
Sunita Narain, Director General of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) is a public interest research and advocacy organisation based in New Delhi, India. CSE researches into, lobbies for and...
Dr. Samina Khalil, Director at the Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC)
The Applied Economics Research Centre (AERC) in University of Karachi was established in 1973. The major functions of the centre are policy-oriented academic research,...
Dr. Jyoti Parikh, Executive director at Integrated Research Action for Development (IRADe)
Dr. Jyoti Parikh is a founding member and a member of the governing council at Integrated Research and Action for Development (IRADe) a think tank based in New Delhi,...
Seethalakshmi S and Rahul Nandan, Chief mission officers at Antardhwani
Dr. Annapoorna Ravichander, editor at large for South Asia at On Think Tanks, interviewed Antardhwani's chief mission officers Seethalakshmi S and Rahul Nandan in December...
Dr Kaitlyn Mendes, author of “SlutWalk: Feminism, activism and media”
The #Metoo movement has gained momentum in India and has captured the minds of women across the globe thanks to digital media platforms. Feminist researcher Dr Kaitlynn...
Health Check
Think Tank Communications Health Check
This ‘health check’ aims to support think tanks and research institutes to refine and improve their communications. The tool covers six key areas: strategy, capacity, systems, audiences, channels & messaging and monitoring. It recognises that communication is a complicated process involving strategy, tactics and all sorts of inputs. In other words, it is not all about outputs.
Featured Resources
The significant evolution in staff assessments: a good fit for think tanks?
Raymond Struyk, author of Improving Think Tank Management, writes about the evolution in staff assessments for think tanks. There is an ongoing, comparatively quiet evolution in the...
Simon Maxwell, former executive director of the Overseas Development Institute
Simon Maxwell, former executive director of the Overseas Development Institute, talks about future think tank leaders and how think tanks continue to evolve.
Simonida Kacarska, Director, European Policy Institute
Simonida shares her thoughts on the think tank culture in the western Balkans, the growth of these organisations in the region and what it means, and the challenges they face.
Donald Abelson, professor and chair of political science at The University of Western Ontario
Do think tanks matter? Donald talks to us about his work with think tanks over 30 years, what he finds so interesting about these organisations and how they have evolved, and their role...
Salvador Sánchez, Vice-ministro de la Presidencia de Panamá
Salvador habla del rol de SENACYT buscando el apoyo ciudadano a la inversión que hace el gobierno nacional a la investigación. Nos habla además de los caminos que pueden tomar los...
Salvador Sánchez, Vice-Minister of the Presidency of Panama
Salvador talks about the role of SENACYT in Panama and their support of the think tank community in the country to promote the use of evidence to inform policy.