OHKF Ranked 112th out of 11,175 Think Tanks Worldwide

Hong Kong’s leading think tank Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) has been ranked 112th out of 11,175 think tanks worldwide in the latest global league table compiled by a University of Pennsylvania research centre.

In the “2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report”, the OHKF is also 8th place worldwide in the “Think Tanks to Watch” category, a big jump from 71st last year. In addition, the OHKF is named the top 100 in a number of areas, reflecting the think tank’s growing influence in public policy.

The OHKF is also listed among the “Best Policy and Institutional Response to Covid-19” and “Best New Idea or Paradigm Developed by a Think Tank” categories for the first time, in recognition of its rapid response to the pandemic and contributions in promoting innovation and creativity.

Established in 2014, the OHKF was ranked 173rd among “Top Think Tanks Worldwide (US and Non-US)” in 2018, and has risen to 112th in a short span of three years. The rise in the rankings reflects a growing recognition globally and locally of OHKF’s research rigour and advocacy impact.

The Covid-19 pandemic has put the world in unprecedented shocks. The “2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report” notes that think tanks must respond to the challenges rapidly and flexibly, and contribute to mitigating the crisis with effective policy recommendations. Our Hong Kong Foundation is named among the “Best Policy and Institutional Response to Covid-19” along with 82 global think tanks, which recognised—but without specifying a ranking order—global think tanks’ achievements in responding to the pandemic

On innovation and creativity, the OHKF is honoured as the “Best New Idea or Paradigm Developed by a Think Tank” for the first time and ranked 17th among 64 global think tanks. Meanwhile, the OHKF is among the top 100 in a number of rankings, including: “Top Domestic Health Policy Think Tanks” (51st), “Think Tanks with the Most Significant Impact on Public Policy” (54th), and “Best Advocacy Campaign”(76th).

Mrs Eva Cheng, President of OHKF, remarked that: “The Covid-19 pandemic has plunged the world economy into recession and shrunk international trade over the last year, putting Hong Kong in the most challenging situation since the Handover. Our Hong Kong Foundation’s unwavering response to this huge challenge is to enhance our research and advocacy work, with emphasis on land and housing supply, green finance development, as well as education and healthcare reforms. Amid the pandemic, the OHKF has organised various webinars featuring experts and scholars, and participated in overseas virtual conferences to engage different stakeholders and achieve bigger influence. Our efforts have received wide acclaim from both the local and international communities.”

Mr Stephen Wong, OHKF Senior Vice President & Executive Director of Public Policy Institute, said: “We are encouraged by our solid showing in the global ranking, for it is a recognition of the quality of our research work. In 2020, the OHKF published 10 research and advocacy reports, organised over 20 webinars, and participated in 60 international conferences. Going forward, we will continue to generate visionary public policy proposals and build consensus in society in support of the sustainable development of Hong Kong.”

The “Global Go To Think Tank Index Report” was launched by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania in 2006. It has conducted comprehensive evaluation and ranking of think tanks around the world for the last 15 years. For 2020, a total of 11,175 think tanks worldwide were reviewed, of which 3,389 were from Asia, representing 30.3% of the total evaluated think tanks and surpassing Europe as the region with the highest number of think tanks. Amongst all think tanks this year, 1,413 were from China, which is only second to the number of US think tanks. The criteria for ranking include, but are not limited to, the quality and reputation of the research and analysis produced, the quality and reputation of researchers, the ability to produce new knowledge, innovative policy proposals or alternative ideas on policy, the impact of policy recommendations on society, website and social media presence, and more.

OHKF Rankings in the “2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report”

Note (*): Hong Kong’s only think tank to receive a rank in this category

About “Global Go To Think Tank Index Report”
“The Global Go To Think Tank Index Report” was initiated in 2006 by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) of the University of Pennsylvania in the United States. It keeps track of the contributions made by think tanks in various countries and carefully considers the rise and development of think tanks worldwide. Through comprehensive evaluation and ranking of think tanks, it looks into the role of think tanks in governments and societies around the world. The Index is the most influential global think tank ranking system in contemporary times, owing to extensive participation involved in the selection process and the rigour and fairness of its design.