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On Think Tanks Monthly
Connect, learn and exchange knowledge
Dear On Think Tanks community,
We’ve just wrapped up the 2025 OTT Conference in Johannesburg, and what an intense week it was!
We would like to start by thanking our hosts, the New South Institute and the South African Institute of International Affairs, as well as our partners, funders, and the more than 170 participants representing over 120 organisations from more than 50 countries who came together for a week-long celebration of think tanks.
Even before the OTT Conference kicked off, OTT facilitated a dialogue between African think tanks and the IMF (16 June) to explore and discuss the most pressing challenges facing the region and how to address them through better collaboration.
The OTT Conference itself (17-18 June) was a success with more participants and sessions than ever. Insights from keynote speakers resonated throughout the 20 parallel sessions, regional meetings and four plenaries, which were led and delivered by the participants themselves.
Keynote speakers Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi (ACET), Sara Pantuliano (ODI Global), Damien King (CAPRI), and Luciana Servo (IPEA) advocated for a more nuanced understanding of impact. Think tanks act not just as evidence producers but as architects of policy-informed ecosystems, fostering trust and creating conditions for effective policymaking.
Throughout the lively discussions at the Conference, we learned that achieving policy influence requires more than strong evidence; it involves political intelligence and navigating complex realities. Building trust, a key word of the Conference, and co-creating solutions with civil servants, politicians and other critical stakeholders is often more impactful than technical fixes alone.
Collaboration is vital, as amplifying influence through partnerships like the T20 or networks like Southern Voice can significantly increase the possibility of impact. However, it also presents organisational, coordination, and financial challenges.
Hence, organisational resilience emerged as an essential concern for think tanks to remain relevant. These require urgent investments in leadership capacity, strategic communications, AI integration, and adaptive business models. Ultimately, impact arises from sustained, intentional investment.
This year we also incorporated a new feature F#ckup Nights, to share and learn from the mistakes we all make, and laugh about them!
We were also pleased to welcome T20 think tanks to the Conference, with a networking cocktail event offering space to connect with more peers from around the world.
Following the Conference, OTT facilitated a session at the T20 Midterm Conference (19-20 June) to help identify implementation barriers and co-develop roadmaps for delivering on task force recommendations, building on our experience supporting T20 Brazil in 2024.
A week-long celebration of think tanks!
Couldn’t make it to Johannesburg? We’ll be back in 2026, this time in Morocco. Register your interest to stay informed.
Scroll down to catch up on the latest updates from across our programmes, including new collaborations, insights, and practical tools to support the global think tank community.
Warmly,
Enrique Mendizabal & Estefanía Terán
On Think Tanks
The On Think Tanks programme is delivered with the support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Mercator Stiftung, the Robert Bosch Foundation, GIZ on Behalf of BMZ and Open Society Foundations.
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Thank you for a great OTT Conference 2025!
Curious what OTT Conference 2025 felt like? Watch the wrap-up video that captures the voices and reflections of participants, their impressions, insights, and experiences, offering a genuine sense of what the OTT Conference 2025 meant to those who were there. Alongside these voices, you’ll catch glimpses of packed rooms, lively debates, spontaneous hallway conversations, and the unmistakable buzz of think tankers connecting across borders.
OTT Conference 2025 keynote sessions and articles
A big thank you to the OTT staff, both on site and supporting remotely, for helping make the 2025 Conference possible.
We’re also deeply grateful to all our partners and supporters who contributed to making this event a reality, and to the participants, whose openness and positive energy made it such a valuable experience.
On Think Tanks Programme Updates
Student-led think tanks: A guide
Explore our new guide for emerging policy entrepreneurs, part of the Student Think Tank Hub—a one-stop resource for and about student-led think tanks.
Universities: Want to start or strengthen a student-led think tank on your campus?
Funders: Want to support bold, diverse leadership in public policy? Get in touch—we’d love to work with you.
Just a few weeks left to take advantage of the Early Bird offer!
Join a global cohort of future think tank leaders in Barcelona in February 2026. The School for Thinktankers blends hands-on training with behind-the-scenes insights from leading institutions. Apply now to secure your spot at a discounted early-bird rate!
Join the Open Think Tank Directory
Add your think tank to a global network of 3,820+ organisations to showcase your work and contribute to the State of the Sector 2025 report—a vital tool highlighting global and regional trends.
News from the Think Tank Sector
- The T20 Midterm Conference took place on June 19-20, 2025 in Pretoria, South Africa. The Communique can be read here.
Upcoming events
- Semana de la evidencia | 13-17 October 2025
- Central Africa thinktank forum | 7-8 August, 2025
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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