Announcement
The East Asia Institute (EAI) was once again the only Korean private think tank to be ranked among the top think tanks worldwide by the Global Go To Think Tank Index, compiled annually by the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) at the University of Pennsylvania. According to the most recent index, released in January 2018, EAI was ranked 68th globally and also achieved rankings in ten other categories. The number one think tank in the world was the Brookings Institution in the US. South Korean think tanks that were also ranked in addition to EAI include the Korea Development Institute (KDI), the Korean Institute for International Economic Policy (KIEP), the Institute of Foreign Affairs and National Security (IFANS), and the Center for Free Enterprise (CFE). (See Figure 1)
A Tiny Giant: EAI Stands Side-by-Side with Leading Global Think Tanks
EAI has been among those think tanks ranked by the TTCSP since the first pilot think tank index was launched in 2010. As the pilot project evolved into a full-fledged global think tank index in 2012, EAI’s name continued to make the list year after year. The 2017 report ranked an unprecedented number of think tanks, with 7,815 organizations from around the world included in the survey. In the 2017 report, EAI was ranked 68th globally; 89th in the category of Top Think Tanks Worldwide (Non-US); 13th in the category of Top Think Tanks in China, South Korea, Japan, and India; 81st in the category of Top Foreign Policy and International Affairs Think Tanks; 56th in the category of Think Tanks with Outstanding Policy-Oriented Research Programs; 61st in the category of Best Transdisciplinary Research Think Tanks; 56th in the category of Best Use of Social Media and Networks; 61st in the category of Best Think Tank Conference; 29th in the category of Top Think Tanks with Annual Operating Budgets of Less Than $5 Million USD; and 42nd in the category of Best Independent Think Tanks. In alignment with EAI’s categorical rankings, the Institute conducts a variety of global activities while remaining strictly independent in its organization and financial management despite being significantly smaller than other think tanks. This independence facilitates the conduct of nonpartisan research. These efforts to produce relevant, high-quality commentary and analysis have earned EAI global recognition.
A Unique Organization Renowned for its Success
As the number of think tanks evaluated in the 2017 TTCSP report increased from previous years, a total of 173 organizations made it onto the list of Top Think Tanks Worldwide. Several South Korean institutions, including EAI, made this list: EAI (68th), KDI (19th), KIEP (32nd), IFANS (73rd), and CFE (106th). With the exception of EAI, all of these institutions are either business or government-affiliated policy research organizations, meaning they have financial or institutional ties with the government or the Federation of Korean Industries. Korea’s private, independent think tank landscape remains virtually barren. Small organizations face difficulties with both financing and earning public recognition. In response to this, EAI has sustained its small-scale, network-based organization, ensured its fiscal sustainability, and maximized its efficiency, while also diversifying its independent financing sources to include nonpartisan and individual donors. As a result, the Institute has adopted the role of engaging in research and other activities focused on bringing together unbiased domestic and international expertise. Rather than choosing the seemingly inevitable path of relying on large donors that is necessary for most think tanks to survive in Korea, EAI has taken the opportunity to grow into a global think tank.
[Figure 1] Korean Think Tank Rankings in TTCSP Categories
[Figure 2] Number of Categories Korean Think Tanks Achieved a Ranking for in the TTCSP (Top 100)
2017 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report In Korean