Inside the School for Thinktankers 2025: A Week of Learning, Leadership & Global Connections

 ers 2026

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On Think Tanks Monthly

Connect, learn and exchange knowledge

 

Hello to our On Think Tanks community worldwide,

What a week it has been!

Almost 300 thinktankers have now participated in the School of Thinktankers—with participants from 18 countries attending this year. Read their testimonials here! If you missed out on this year’s enriching experience, early bird applications for the 10th edition of the School for Thinktankers are now open.

Apply for the 2026 School For Thinktankers

We are now getting ready for the 9th Annual OTT Conference in June, where we will meet more than 150 think tank leaders and funders in Johannesburg, South Africa. We’re bringing together some of the most influential voices in the think tank and evidence-informed policy space to tackle the sector’s biggest challenges.​​​​​​

Sign up for the conference to get an invitation

We are starting the 2025 State of the Sector Report cycle. In the coming weeks, the team will design the survey. If you would like to share your ideas regarding questions or topics of interest for the sector that should be considered for the present edition, or if you want to support the On Think Tanks programme and its full range of initiatives for the sector, please get in touch.

Learn more about the On Think Tanks programme initiatives:

• Join the Open Think Tank Directory
• Deep dive into the On Think Tanks State of the Sector Report 2024
• Learn about our Building for the Future initiative — support student think tankers

Best Regards,

Estefanía Terán Valdez
Director, On Think Tanks Programme

On Think Tanks is a public good, a part of OTT’s support to think tanks work stream. Our efforts are currently possible thanks to partnerships with the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Mercator Stiftung, Open Society Foundations and the Robert Bosch Foundation.

Would you like bespoke advice and support?
Do you want to support On Think Tanks?

Contact us

 

 

 

On Think Tanks Programme Updates

 

 

OTT Conference 2025: Think tanks and Impact — keynote sessions announced!

We’re bringing together some of the most influential voices in the think tank and policy space to tackle today’s biggest challenges.

• Think Tanks Beyond the Impact on Public Policy — Ms. Luciana Servo, president of the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea), Brazil
• The Think Tank Playbook: Shaping Policy in a Noisy World — Damien King, Executive Director, CAPRI

Join think tank leaders, funders and policy experts from around the world at OTT Conference 2025, hosted in partnership with the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), and the New South Institute (NSI).

Register your interest →

 

Join the Open Think Tank Directory

Think tanks drive policy impact worldwide, but some regions remain underrepresented. Only 6.3% of think tanks in the Open Think Tank Directory are from Sub-Saharan Africa, 4.9% from South Asia, and just 1% from Central Asia. If you're from these regions, help increase visibility and representation—join the directory today!

Add or update your profile →

 

Building for the Future Initiative

In collaboration with the Open Societies Foundation, a group of emerging student think tankers participated in the School For Thinktankers 2025 as a part of the Building For The Future initiative. This dynamic cohort represents the future of evidence-informed policy—stay tuned as they continue their journey!
Applications for the next round of the initiative will open in October 2025, where we will select four new student-led think tanks to support during 2026.
 
Learn more → 

 

School for Thinktankers 2026 — early-bird applications open

After a successful 2025 School, we are excited to announce that the 10th edition of the School for Thinktankers will return to Fundació Bofill in Barcelona in 2026! Submit your early-bird application for a 5% discount.

 Apply now → 

 

State of the Sector Report Survey 2025 — coming soon

The On Think Tanks state of the sector survey captures a snapshot of think tank operations and the contexts in which they work. These insights, along with data from the Open Think Tank Directory, inform the annual think tank state of the sector report, helping foster dialogue between think tank leaders, funders and evidence users about how best to support and drive the sector forward. Our vision is a more transparent, informed and connected sector. If you share this vision, contact us to support or participate in the State of the Sector 2025 survey.

 

 

School for thinktankers: Highlights from 2025

 

 

This year’s School for Thinktankers focused on adaptability, the top challenge from the 2024 State of the Sector Report. Participants explored future-proofing strategies, AI integration, governance, and leadership, while emphasising networks, fundraising, and collaboration. They left with actionable insights to strengthen their organisations.

Here's what some of our participants and trainers had to say—read more testimonials here!

 

Participant | Olivia Darby, Co-Founder, WONDER Foundation

"Last week, I had the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone and join the On Think Tanks School for Think Tankers in Barcelona. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I knew why I was there: to explore how WONDER Foundation can work more strategically to amplify the voices of the women and girls in our projects—and the women leading them."

Read more →

 

Trainer | John Schwartz, CEO of Soapbox

"We’ve run a successful branding workshop at the school for the last 5 years. But this year we switched things up and developed an intensive new User Experience session....These fabulous think tankers worked tirelessly for three straight hours creating and testing user-centred wireframes and sitemaps."

Read more →

 

Participant & Building For The Future Grantee | Julia-Chiara Gruber, EPIS ThinkTank

"The week was filled with thought-provoking lectures and hands-on workshops on key topics such as Good Governance & People Management, Fundraising, Policy Influence, and Strategic Communication—all crucial elements for running a successful Think Tank."

Read more →

 

Trainer | Lilia Rizk, Head Coordinator, Policy Center for the New South

"Thank you On Think Tanks for inviting me and the Policy Center for the New South to join your group of trainers for this year's edition of the School for Think Tankers, and for the opportunity to articulate the why, what, and how of strategic partnerships for change & impact in the Think Tank space!"

Read more →

 

 

 

 

Featured Articles

 

 

Why every researcher needs to involve the communications team early on, by Gabriela Keseberg Dávalos

In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, producing research isn’t enough—it needs to reach the right people, spark meaningful conversations, and drive change. Just like with any “product”, putting it on the shelf is not enough. It needs publicity. That’s where your communications colleagues come in. Here are some compelling reasons to actively involve and listen to them throughout your research journey.

Think Tanks in the Era of Political Vendetta: Insights from South Korea, by Anna W. Choi

South Korea has long been recognised as a pilot market for multinational companies due to its homogeneous market characteristics and rapid consumer responses. This unique environment allows businesses to quickly gauge the potential success of new products and services before global launches. A similar dynamic can be observed in the nation’s political landscape, where rapid information dissemination and public reactions amplify political phenomena.

 

 

News from the Think Tank Sector

 

 

 

Findings, news, and events from January 2025 | LinkedIn

PEP, with support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, is launching a new initiative to enhance collaboration between research centers (RCs) and government institutions (PCs) in East and West Africa. This program will equip research centers to provide real-time policy advisory support and help policymakers integrate data-driven decision-making into their processes. The initiative will be piloted in six countries, offering selected research centers funding and capacity-building opportunities. Applications are open until February 28, 2025. Learn more and apply here

The World Bank Group's arm for data and knowledge generation

Launched in 2024 by World Bank Group President Ajay Banga, the Institute for Economic Development is a new initiative for global collaboration in tackling key challenges. It brings together think tanks, experts, researchers, and academics to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and access curated insights from the latest development research.

 

 

Find out more about other OTT workstreams

 

 

Ready to share your lessons learned and spark debate in the think tank world?

Contribute your thoughts to OTT's platform!

Whether it's a list of top readings, lessons from your experiences, or thought-provoking arguments, we want to hear from you.

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Upcoming events

• OTT Conference 2025 – Think tanks and Impact | June 16 - 18, 2025 | Register your interest

Hosting an event in the realm of think tanks or evidence-informed policy? Share the details of your event with us, and let's amplify your impact together. Complete our events submission form.

 

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