Wilson Center Moves Up in Global Think Tank Rankings for Fifth Year in a Row
According to findings released Thursday by the University of Pennsylvania, the Wilson Center is the world’s #9 think tank, up from #10 in 2015. The results mark the fifth year in a row that the Center has risen in the global rankings; the Center was also ranked fifth in the United States.
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Ryan McKenna
Phone: (202) 691-4217
ryan.mckenna@wilsoncenter.org
WASHINGTON – According to findings released Thursday by the University of Pennsylvania, the Wilson Center is the world’s #9 think tank, up from #10 in 2015. The results mark the fifth year in a row that the Center has risen in the global rankings; the Center was also ranked fifth in the United States.
“We owe our steady progress to our superb, 21st-century staff and fellows,” said former Congresswoman Jane Harman, the Center’s director, president, and CEO since 2011. “Building on a foundation of excellence, this place has transformed itself to tackle exponentially more difficult questions in a more chaotic world.”
“In my two years chairing the Center’s board, I’ve seen incredible growth,” said Tom Nides, appointed chairman of the Wilson Center’s Board of Trustees in 2013 by President Barack Obama. “These results confirm what my peers in the business community already know: for any decision-maker who needs actionable ideas, the Wilson Center is an essential resource.”
The Wilson Center was also ranked #1 in a new category, Transdisciplinary Research. “This recognizes initiatives—like our work on rule of law, women’s empowerment, and technology policy—that cut across diverse fields to find new insights,” said Andrew Selee, the Center’s executive vice president. “These projects are the heart of the new Wilson Center, and we see enormous potential in this space.”
The University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program has produced the Global Go To Think Tank Index annually since 2007, drawing on the input of nearly two thousand scholars, policymakers, journalists, and funders. It is widely regarded as the definitive resource on think tanks.
The Wilson Center was also highly ranked for its research on foreign policy, its work in international development, and its impact on policymaking, among other honors. The full rankings are available here.
Notes to Editors:
1. The Wilson Center was chartered by Congress as the nation’s living memorial to President Woodrow Wilson. Through the work of its staff and fellows, it connects deep scholarship to urgent policy questions.
