Baker Institute and its Center for Energy Studies at top of global think tank rankings

Baker Institute

Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy has risen to the No. 1 ranking among the best university-affiliated think tanks in the world, up from No. 2 the previous year, according to the 2020 Global Go To Think Tank Index Report published today. Its Center for Energy Studies (CES) maintained its standing as the top energy and resource policy think tank and was recognized as a Center of Excellence for being ranked No. 1 for three consecutive years.

The Baker Institute is also ranked No. 15 out of 110 of the top think tanks in the U.S. overall and is listed among the best think tanks globally in the category "Best Quality Assurance and Integrity Policies and Procedures."

“The rise of the Baker Institute and our Center for Energy Studies to the very top rankings in this year’s Global Go To Think Tank Index is the culmination of what we created over a quarter of a century ago and of our adherence to excellence in data-driven, nonpartisan research and policy recommendations on public policy issues that reach decision-makers in the private and public sectors,” said Baker Institute Director Edward Djerejian. “I commend all our fellows, scholars and staff, as well as our Board of Advisors and Roundtable members, for this outstanding achievement.”

"The recognition is testament to our consistent, team-oriented dedication to providing data-driven, unbiased analysis across an expanding range of energy-related issues, and it owes directly to our interdisciplinary group of fellows and scholars, each of whom is at the top of their respective fields,” said Kenneth Medlock, CES senior director and the James A. Baker III and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics.

The other university-affiliated think tanks in the world’s top three are IDEAS/Public Policy Group at the London School of Economics and Political Science (No. 2) and Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex, U.K. (No. 3).

CES is followed in the regular rankings by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, U.K., and the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan.

Founded in 1993, the Baker Institute houses fellows and scholars who conduct research on domestic and foreign policy issues with the goal of bridging the gap between the theory and practice of public policy. Core fields of study include energy, the Middle East, Mexico, health policy, public finance, private entrepreneurship and economic growth, international economics, presidential elections, science and technology, China, space policy and drug policy.

CES was founded in October 2012 and provides policymakers, corporate leaders and the public with quality, data-driven analysis of issues that influence energy markets. The long-standing Baker Institute Energy Forum is an integral part of CES and remains an active entity for participation in the center’s ongoing research and public policy programs.

The Global Go To Think Tank Index, established in 2006 by the University of Pennsylvania Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program, has become the gold standard for think tanks around the world. It is widely cited by governments, donors, journalists and policymakers as the foremost guide to the performance of thousands of domestic and international public policy centers.

The program’s report is compiled with assistance from nearly 2,000 peer institutions and experts from the media, academia, public and private donor institutions and governments in the U.S. and around the globe.

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