The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) has been ranked among the top 40 think tanks in the world.
The Global Think Tank Index by the University of Pennsylvania ranked SAIIA 46th in the category ‘top think tanks worldwide’ (excluding the US) – up from 48 th last year – and sixth in sub-Saharan Africa.
“We were one of three foreign policy and international affairs think tanks in Africa in the top 90 worldwide, and one of three African international development think tanks in the top 40,” said SAIIA.
In other categories such as the best think tank network and best external relations or public engagement programme SAIIA was the only African think tank in the top 50 worldwide.
SAIIA was also in the top 40 worldwide in the following categories:
- think tanks with the most significant public policy impact;
- best use of social media and networks;
- best managed think tanks; and
- best use of media (print or electronic).
“We were also extremely pleased that our peers recognised our policy orientation in our programmes, by ranking us in the top 50 globally in terms of outstanding policy oriented research programmes,” said SAIIA’s chief executive, Elizabeth Sidiropoulos.
In compiling this annual study, now in its 11 th year, UPenn’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Programme engaged with 7,815 think tanks across the world.
The results are based on a global peer and expert survey of more than 62,000 scholars, policy-makers, journalists, and regional and area experts.
