Global Go To Think Tank Index Nomination and Ranking Criteria

The peers and experts who participated in the indexing process were encouraged to employ the following criteria when considering nominations and rankings. The 2015 GGTTI Nomination and Ranking Criteria include, but are not limited to the following criteria:

· The quality and commitment of the think tank’s leadership (chief executive and governing body). This involves effectively managing the mission and programs of the think tank, mobilizing the financial and human resources necessary to fulfill the mission and monitoring the quality, independence and impact of the think tank;

· The quality and reputation of the think tank’s staff. Ability to assemble a critical mass of highly skilled, experienced and productive scholars and analysts who are recognized as either emerging or established experts in their respective area of research;

· The quality and reputation of the research and analysis produced. The ability to produce high quality, rigorous, policy oriented research that is accessible to policymakers, media and the public;

· Academic performance and reputation. This involves the academic rigor associated with the research conducted. This includes formal accreditation of a think tank’s scholars and analysts, the number and type of scholarly publications produced such as: books, journals and conference papers and the number of presentations delivered at scholarly and other professional meeting and the number and type of citations of the think tanks scholars’ research in scholarly publications produced by other scholars;

· The quality, number, and reach of its publications;

· The impact of a think-tank’s research and programs on policymakers and other policy actors. Policy recommendations considered or actually adopted by policymakers, civil society or policy actors;

· Reputation with policymakers (name recognition associated with specific issues or programs, number of briefings and official appointments, number of policy briefs and white papers produced, legislative testimony delivered);

· A demonstrated commitment to producing independent research and analysis. This involves standards and policies for producing rigorous evidence based research and analysis that are posted and monitored by the organization, research teams and individual researchers. This includes disclosure of conflict of interest (financial, institutional or personal) and a commitment to nonpartisanship and established professional standards for research in the social sciences;

· Overall output of the organization (policy proposals, web visits, briefings, publications, interviews, conferences, staff nominated to official posts);

· Usefulness of organization’s information in public engagement, advocacy work, preparing legislation or testimony, preparing academic papers or presentations, conducting research or teaching;

· Ability to use electronic, print and the new media to communicate research and reach key audiences;

· Media reputation (number of media appearances, interviews and citations);

· Ability to use the Internet including social media tools, to engage with policymakers, journalists and the public;

· Effective management and allocation of financial and human resources. The ability of a think tank to effectively manage its money and people so that they produce high quality outputs that achieve maximum impact;

· Ability of the organization to effectively fulfill the terms of the gifts, grants and contracts from government(s), individuals, corporations and foundations who have provided the financial support to the think tank (financial stewardship);

· The organization’s ability to produce new knowledge, innovative policy proposals or alternative ideas on policy;

· Ability to bridge the gap between the academic and policymaking communities;

· Ability to bridge the gap between policymakers and the public;

· Ability to include new voices in the policymaking process;

· Ability of organization to be inscribed within issue and policy networks;

· The impact on society. Direct relationship between the organization’s efforts in a particular area to a positive change in societal values such as significant changes in the quality of life within respective country (amounts of goods and services available to citizens, state of physical and mental health, quality of environment, quality of political rights, access to institutions).