Yu Xinhui, Professor, Party Secretary of Shanghai Academy of Social Science (SASS) presided over the conference. (Photo: SASS)

 

Shanghai, January 28- Think tank related issues become hotly discussed during the last year. Various think tanks are playing important roles in analyzing social issues and providing solutions. 2015 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report by Think Tanks & Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania and 2015 Chinese Think Tanks Report by Think Tanks Research Center (TTRC) of SASS were jointly announced yesterday in Shanghai. The latter was also announced simultaneously at the United States by James McGann, director of the TTCSP at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

“High-end think tanks have made progress on new thoughts, academic achievements, talents and innovation of system and mechanism; while the number of non-governmental think tanks, university think tanks and other professional think tanks increased rapidly recently years,” Wang Ronghua, honorary director of TTRC noted that the international influence of Chinese think tanks is steadily on the increase.

 

Li Yihai, vice chairman of TTRC announced authorized 2015 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report (Chinese Version). (Photo: SASS)

 

According to the report, there are 6,846 think tanks in total throughout the world in 2015, in which North American has the largest number of think tanks with 1931 in total; while Europe has 1770 and followed by Asia which has 1262. The US is still the country with the largest number of think tanks in the world, which has 1835 in total and China ranks the second with 435 think tanks.

 

Global Think Tank Top 175 was also released with Brookings Institute (United States) staying the first place in 2015. 9 Chinese think tanks are listed: Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China Institute of International Studies, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, Development Research Center of the State Council, Institute of International and Strategic Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, Unirule Institute of Economics, Center for China and Globalization, Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China.

 

“Global Go To Think Tank Report is aiming to understand think tanks role in governments and civil society. We hope, through this kind of report, to help increase their quality, ability and performance,” James McGann addressed in his video.

 

Huang Renwei, chairman and director of TTRC, vice president of SASS. (Photo: SASS)

 

2015 Chinese Think Tanks Report was then announced by Huang Renwei, chairman and director of TTRC, vice president of SASS. According to the Top 15 Chinese Think Tanks Ranking of Comprehensive Influence, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Development Research Center of the State Council and Peking University are listed in the Top 3, and two think tanks from Shanghai- Fudan University and SASS are listed in Top 10. 

 

Based on the current situation of the development of Chinese think tanks and closely connected with the actual demand of China's reform, innovation and transformation, the report makes comprehensive, scientific, objective and accurate observation and evaluation of present situation of Chinese think tanks development, characteristics, trends and their influence and put forward the corresponding countermeasures and suggestions to further increase influence and international voice of new think tanks with Chinese characteristics

 

It is worth mentioning that in addition to the comprehensive influence ranking, the report also includes International Influence Ranking and International Relations Ranking respectively in specific influence sector and professional influence sector, which highlights the requirements for Chinese think tanks going abroad and enhancing their international influence under the new situation. Wei Jianguo, vice chairman of China Center for International Economic Exchanges pointed out that think tanks strengths are of much more importance than think tank rankings. The existing think tanks mechanism and system must be reformed so as to build new think tanks with Chinese characteristics.

 

TTRC and TTCSP established long-term extensive academic contact. The two sides began to cooperation as early as 2010 and recent years have seen more close exchanges. The two sides have made major breakthroughs in jointly promoting the internationalization of Chinese think tank studies, especially in forming and improving Chinese think tank rankings. Chinese Think Tanks Annual Report enjoys a certain reputation and influence in think tank circles from both home and abroad and has important theoretical value and practical significance in exploring new think tanks with Chinese characteristics and their decision-making consultation mechanism, innovating think tank researching content as well as standardizing think tank development directions.