The On Think Tanks Conferences are an opportunity to bring together thinktankers, think tank scholars, policy entrepreneurs and think tanks funders from around the world to share experiences, present their research, co-develop solutions to common challenges and establish new or strengthen old partnerships.

The On Think Tanks Conference is organised by OTT in collaboration with foraus and the Think Tank Hub, the University of Bath, Universidad del Pacífico,  Soapbox, with the support from the Hewlett Foundation, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Open Society Foundations, SENACYT (the Panamanian science and technology council).

The OTT Conference was initially conceived as a chance to invite OTT’s collaborators and partners to join the OTT Team following our own annual meeting. After the first conference in February 2017, we decided to gradually broaden the number and range of participants to include individuals who may or may not have collaborated with OTT but who would contribute to a rich and fruitful discussion. In 2018, about 80 thinktankers from all over the world engaged on thoughtful debate and networking.

The Conference is for think tank leaders and thinktankers, policy entrepreneurs in the field of evidence informed policymaking, policy research funders and think tank scholars who are interested in critical unpacking the think tank label, addressing the opportunities and challenges these organisations face, and exploring the changes within and around them.

Confirmed participants include (and more):

• Elizabeth Sidiropoulos (SAIIA – South Africa)
• Jeff Knezovich (WHO – Switzerland)
• Gurucharan Gollerkeri (PAC India – India)
• Keith Burnet (Chatham House – UK)
• Saviour Mwambwa (OSF – US)
• Andrea Ordoñez (Southern Voice –  Ecuador)
• Lukas Hupfer (foraus – Switzerland)
• Pamela Nakamba-Kabaso (ZIPAR – Zambia)
• Chuka Onyekwena (CSEA – Nigeria)
• Michael Kleiman (Media Tank – US)
• Ana Patricia Muñoz (Grupo Faro – Ecuador)
• Scarlett Varga (BRUEGEL – Belgium)
• Fayyaz Yaseen (Accountability Lab – Pakistan)
• John Schwartz (Soapbox – UK)
• Tom Hashemi (We are Flint – UK)
• Gjergji Vurmo (Institute for Democracy and Mediation – Albania)
• Sonja Stojanovic (BCSP – Serbia)
• Jordi Guillamet (IEA – Andorra)
• Jill Rutter (Institute for Government – UK)
• Tarik Nesh-Nash (GovRight – Morroco)
• Cameron Neylon (Curtin University – Australia)
• Sherine Ghoneim (EDF – Egypt) 
• Claire Talon (Arab Reform Initiative -France)
• Slim Bahrini (Maghreb Economic Forum – Tunisia)
• Rob McLean (IDRC – Canada)
• Marjorie Alain (Partnership for Economic Policy – Canada)
• Jordan Tchilingirian (University of Bath – UK)
• James Bramble (GrantSmart -UK)
• Dmytro Khutkyy (OTT Fellow, Fulbright alumni, RPR)
• Norma Correa (PUCP – Peru)
• Renata Hessmann- Dalaqua (United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research – Switzerland)
• James Cockayne (Centre for Policy Research at United Nations University – US)
• Memory Kachambwa (African Women’s Development and Communication Network – Kenya)
• Nisrine Ouazzani (Policy Center for the New South – Morroco)
• Denis Foretia (Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation and Nkafu Policy Institute – Cameroon)
• David Gomez Alvares (Transversal – Mexico)
• Kerry Albright (UNICEF Office of Research-Innocenti – Italy)
• Diana Thorburn (Caribbean Policy Research Institute – Jamaica)
• Joe Miller (Soapbox -US)
• Adanna Shallowe (RSA – UK)
• Faisal Baawad (Saudi Center for International Strategic Partnerships – Saudi Arabia)
• Gang Li (Center for Chinese Think Tank Studies and Evacuation – China)
• And more…