Crisis Group Named in Top Ten Global Think Tanks

Brussels The International Crisis Group has been listed as one of the “Top 10 Think Tanks in the World” in a new survey, based on peer review, conducted over 18 months by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program at the Philadelphia-based Foreign Policy Research Institute.

The study, “The Global ‘Go-To Think Tanks’: The Leading Public Policy Research Organizations in the World”, separately evaluated over 3,000 non-US and 2,000 U.S.-based public policy organisations which aim to “bridge the gap between knowledge and policy” in both security and non-security areas. In the international group, 3,304 organisations were originally identified, of which 228 were then nominated by two or more peer-evaluators as “one of the leading think tanks in the world”, and Crisis Group was chosen in the top ten of these.

The International Crisis Group is an independent conflict resolution organisation, founded in 1995 and working now across the world through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and resolve deadly conflict, with over 140 staff members drawn from more than 40 different nationalities.

Crisis Group’s President & CEO, former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, said that the organisation differed from most traditional think tanks in that it was strongly field-based, and focused at least as much on direct advocacy with decision makers as it did on analysis and generating policy ideas.

“We would prefer to call ourselves a ‘global conflict prevention and resolution organisation’ than a ‘think tank’”, Mr Evans said, “We are more action than academically oriented. But whatever the label, it is very gratifying to find ourselves being ranked as so internationally influential: it’s a tribute to the quality of our staff and governing Board, and the commitment of our major donors”.