Press release, 26 January 2017

Philadelphia / Bonn. The German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) was named among the best research institutions and policy-advisers in the world. This is according to the annual Global Go To Think Tank Index Report by the University of Pennsylvania. Among the category Top International Development Think Tanks, the DIE was ranked 6th  out of 130 international institutions included in this part of the survey. According to the report, the category is dedicated to “leading international development institutions within the global community”, focusing on research areas of agricultural, growth, poverty, inequality, humanitarian development and sustainability. Just two other European Institutions – The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and Chatham House – did earn a higher placement in this year’s ranking.

Compared to last year’s report, the DIE was able to improve its position in several of the report’s categories. The list of Top Think Tanks Worldwide (U.S. and non-U.S) now lists the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) as 35th of 175. This represents a jump of 45 places compared to the previous year. “The high placement of the DIE among the world’s top think tanks is particularly remarkable, if you consider that development policy – compared to economic and security research, which is well-represented among the ranking’s top positions – still does attract little attention”, said DIE’s director Dirk Messner on the occasion of the report’s release.

According to this year’s surveys on Best Government Affiliated Think Tanks and Think Tanks with Outstanding Policy-Oriented Research Programs, DIE did climb seven and eleven places compared to last year. Another good placement was recorded in the category Think Tanks with the Best External Relations/Public Engagement Program. The DIE’s 23rd place out of 75 institutions does substantiate the institute’s outreach work in 2016.

The annual Global Go To Think Tank Index Report by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania surveys the role of policy research institutions in government and civil society around the globe. This year’s survey included responses from 2,543 policymakers, journalists, university faculty and administrators, think tank scholars and executives as well as by donors from around the world.