Developing Influential Think Tanks: what does it take to be one?

LOCATION Arya Duta Hotel, Jakarta, 3-4 October2012 hosted by AusAID,

BACKGROUND

Think tanks in Indonesia are in interesting times. While there are many opportunities to engage with policy makers, they face many challenges in establishing themselves as strong and sustainable institutes. Many struggle to find sustainable funding sources and maintain good library and facilities; meanwhile, government policy makers are getting better equipped to discuss policies;

Despite the challenges, it is not uncommon to hear think tanks inject themselves into public policy debates about issues from corruption to poverty reduction. At the same time, many of these organisations are working to influence policy through informal channels like networking with Parliamentarians and commissioned studies ordered by policy makers themselves.

So what makes a think tank credible and successful? Behind the 'end product' of influencing policy, there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in making a successful think tank. This conference will investigate these key ingredients that are on the minds of think tank leaders all over the world; from retaining and recruiting good staff, to maintaining networks with academia, other civil society organisations, media and government; strategic plans, institutional profile; quality assurance mechanisms and financing models.

THE MEETING: DEVELOPING INFLUENTIAL THINK TANKS: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE ONE?

AusAID plans to host a two day meeting to allow think tanks from Indonesia to share their experiences in becoming successful think tanks with overseas' counterparts. The conference will also raise the profile of think tanks in Indonesia, highlight the important role of think tanks in creating knowledge for policy making and provide space to hear directly from policy makers about what they need.

AusAID will invite a series of experienced think tank leaders from Indonesia and abroad to share their lessons on leadership, funding challenges, projects versus core funding, research agendas, independence, and general think tank management. The idea is that the think tanks can share lessons and get a better idea of what does and doesn't work when trying to influence policy. This will enable AusAID partner think tanks to identify ways in which they can further improve their management, research outputs and networking abilities.

The meeting will:

1. explore the ability of think tanks to influence public policy
2. provide an opportunity to share experiences in building leading think tanks
3. discuss new directions, practices and approaches needed for research institutes to best support organisational change
4. identify opportunities for research institutes to invest in their future to ensure they continue to thrive

DRAFT PROGRAM –3-4 October 2012

DEVELOPING INFLUENTIAL THINK TANKS IN INDONESIA

AUSAID AND SUPPORTING INDONESIA'S KNOWLEDGE SECTOR

One of the aims of AusAID's Knowledge Sector Program is to strengthen policy research institutions - or Think Tanks - in Indonesia. AusAID currently supports seven policy research organisations through the Asia Foundation's Action Learning Program. This number is set to increase with the next round of selection set to be completed in 2012.

The Action Learning Program showed that the problems faced by think tanks in Indonesia are common to think tanks all over the world. For example, they find it difficult to attract sustainable funding sources; mostly influence policy through informal networks; juggle contract work and have little funding for base research; and have limited time and resources to build their organisational, technical and advocacy/ networking capacities.

The Action Learning Program showed that strategic planning gave think tanks the breathing space to focus on these issues. Along with space to do strategic planning, the pilots were also provided with core funding to implement activities identified in their strategic plans and to capture what they learned.

AusAID recognises that research organisations need flexible, long-term core funding to survive as strong and credible institutes. It also understands that many of these think tanks struggle to think strategically about their future over the next project cycle – and to imagine a world where policy makers actively seek out and use their research. This is mainly because most organisations survive on being contracted by foreign donors to complete targeted projects.

AusAID hopes that this meeting will help think tanks to showcase their successes and learn best practices in improving their organisation to better be able to influence policy better.