Asia Society Policy Institute Ranked Among World’s Best Think Tanks for Second Consecutive Year
NEW YORK, January 26, 2017 — The Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) is among the world’s best think tanks, according to the "2016 Global Go To Think Tank Index.” Out of over 6,600 institutions considered, ASPI ranks 126 in the list of the world's top think tanks, 14 positions higher than in last year’s index.
ASPI, established in 2014, also ranked among the top U.S. think tanks (#53), the top foreign policy and international affairs think tanks worldwide (#94), and the top independent think tanks (#93)—those with ”significant independence from any one interest group or donor and autonomous in its operation and funding from government.“
Prepared by the University of Pennsylvania's Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP), the annual index is the authoritative ranking of the world's top think tanks and is based on a global survey of nearly 7,500 journalists, policy makers, think tanks, and public and private donors from 143 countries. TTCSP has ranked think tanks since 2006, in response to requests from donors, government officials, journalists, and scholars.
ASPI and TTCSP will host the New York launch of the 2016 report on Thursday, January 26. The launch will be accompanied by a discussion on the role of international affairs think tanks with Brian Finlay, President and CEO of The Stimson Center; Ambassador Cameron Munter, President and CEO of the EastWest Institute; Kevin Rudd, President of ASPI; Aaron Shull, COO and General Counsel for the Centre for International Governance Innovation; and Alessandra Stanley, reporter for the New York Times.
With a problem-solving mandate, ASPI tackles major policy challenges confronting the Asia-Pacific in security, prosperity, sustainability, and the development of common norms and values for the region. ASPI is led by Rudd, former Prime Minister of Australia, and its Vice President, Wendy Cutler, former U.S. Acting Deputy Trade Representative.