Learnt from mistakes? An evaluation of the Global “Go-To Think Tanks” Ranking 2011

The Global “Go-to Think Tanks” Ranking of Think Tanks and Civil Societies Programme at the University of Pennsylvania has been published at the beginning of the year on an annual basis since 2007. It aims to rank think-tanks worldwide, regionally and in terms of their expertise. The ranking is based on surveys of experts, journalists and of the think-tanks ranked. The ranking for 2009 was extensively criticized as early as 2010. Alongside several technical errors, a large number of methodically problematic aspects were identified. On 20 January 2012 the current ranking for 2011 was published. This offered an opportunity to investigate the extent to which the methodology of the ranking had remained unchanged and/or been improved. To summarize, it can be said that major problems remain and the ranking fails to fulfil its goals. Its results should therefore be treated very cautiously.