Press Release of 20 January 2012

An impressive success for the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE): For the fourth consecutive time DIE has been selected as one of the best think tanks and research institutions in several categories. The experts compiling the “2011 Global Go-To Think Tanks” consider the German Development Institute to be among the Top Five “International Development Think Tanks”, along with the US-based Brookings Institution, the Center for Global Development and the Harvard Center for International Development as well as the British Overseas Development Institute (ODI). This means that DIE along with ODI are the most respected European development think tanks.

In addition, the German Development Institute ranks among the best worldwide in the categories “Think Tanks with the Most Innovative Policy Ideas/Proposals”, “Top Fifty Think Tanks in Western Europe“ and among the “Best Government Affiliated Think Tanks“.

“Facing global challenges such as climate change, poverty reduction as well as the financial and debt crisis, the work of our institute is being recognized on an international scale”, notes DIE-Director Dirk Messner. “Our top ranking in the Global Go-To Think Tank Index is an encouragement for us to continue to carry out innovative and interdisciplinary research oriented towards practical input.”

The Global Go-To Think Tank Index is an annual overview of the leading think tanks of the world. In 2011, 5,329 think tanks were nominated by 1,500 experts. The ranking differentiates between various regions and topics and is compiled by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania.