Discusión sobre el Índice 2013 del Global Go To Think Tank

Con ocasión del lanzamiento del  Índice 2013 del Global Go To Think Tank el pasado día 22 de enero de 2014, y dada su colaboración con esta iniciativa, el Barcelona Centre for International Affairs CIDOB organizó -como se hizo también en 31 otras ciudades en todo el mundo- una sesión de discusión sobre el papel de los think tanks en la sociedad con participantes de perfiles diferentes (investigadores, periodistas, actores económicos, sociedad civil, fundaciones políticas, entre otros). Entre los participantes se encontró Sean Golden, miembro del grupo de investigació Inter-Asia.

War and Peace in the 21st Century. Peace and prosperity in East Asia: A regional challenge of global concern

Sean Golden, member of the Inter-Asia research group, took part in the annual invitation only seminar organised by the CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) think tanks in collaboration with the city government of Barcelona on 18 January 2014, under the heading War and Peace in the 21st Century. Peace and prosperity in East Asia: A regional challenge of global concern.

Javier Solana, Honorary Chairman of CIDOB and Former EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, and Carles Gasòliba, Chairman of the Board of CIDOB, presided over the seminar.

The Topics

Regional Economic Integration in East Asia 
Implications of a simultaneous economic emergency in all East Asian economies. Is there a common East Asian agenda on economic issues? How can economic cooperation be strengthened? Can economic cooperation contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region? To what extent have political differences led to slow progress in regional economic cooperation? Is the East Asian regional integration centered on China? How is regional integration affecting importers, exporters and investors in the region? Lessons to be learned from the economic problems in Europe for future in-depth integration in East Asia.

Seeking a New Security Framework for East Asia
Which are the main threats for a ‘grand bargain’ on security in East Asia? Can the rising of nationalism in Asia threaten stability in the region? Are both major regional powers and weaker countries more comfortable with a new order in the region based on China’s primacy instead of US influence? What are the most appropriate multilateral forums to solve disputes among major powers? To what extent does North Korea's Nuclear Program threat regional stability? China and the US’ global competition: implications for East Asia and potential strategic allies. Is there a role for the EU in building a more peaceful East Asia?

The speakers for the first topic were Kumiharu Shigehara, President of the International Economy Policy Studies Association and Former Deputy Secretary-General of the OECD, and Françoise Lemoine, Senior Economist in CEPII and Associate Researcher, Centre d'Études sur la Chine contemporaine. The session was chaired by Miquel Nadal, Economist and Former Secretary of State for International Affairs.

The speakers for the second topic were Xiang Lanxin , Professor of International History and Politics, The Graduate Institute (Geneva); Takashi Inoguchi, Emeritus Professor at the University of Tokyo and former Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; and Ron Huisken, Senior Fellow, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University. Javier Solana chaired the second session and Jordi Bacaria, Director of the CIDOB, prepared the conclusions.


2013 Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF) Higher Education Programme (AHEP) Advisory Committee (AC) Meeting

Sean Golden, member of the Inter-Asia research group, participated in the 2013 Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF) HigherEducation Programme (AHEP) Advisory Committee (AC) Meeting that was held at Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 28-29 November 2013, as a standing member of the AHEP Advisory Committee. He also coordinated the "brainstorming" session on future AHEP activities, preparing a written report of proposals for the ASEF authorities.


Inter-Asia think tank partners ranked among the best in the world in 2013

An important aspect of the Inter-Asia research group's current research is the role of our close cooperation with external entities (Entes Promotores Observadores; EPOs), including leading think tanks in Spain and in China. The International Relations Program of the University of Pennsylvania has recently published its 2013 Global Go To Think Tank Index, the only international ranking system for think tanks made by a university research centre available to date.

According to the 2013 edition, one of Inter-Asia's closest collaborators, CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for InternationalAffairs) has been recognised as the most influential Think Tank in the South of Europe. CIDOB was ranked 16th among the top think tanks in Western Europe (up two places from 18 in 2012), and maintained its ranking of 64th among the top think tanks worldwide (US and non US). In addition, CIDOB has been ranked 12th in the world in the new category of “Think Tanks to Watch”.

According to this new edition of the Global Go To Think Tanks Index, with the 16th position (up 2 posts from last year’s position and 5 from the year vefore), CIDOB is the most highly valued Spanish think tank within the category of Western European think tanks

Jordi Bacaria, director of CIDOB, said that "it is very important for CIDOB to hold good positions in the Index, particularly because it means the recognition of civil society and public decision makers which we aim to reach. It means that this audience appreciates our work as analysts and opinion makers, its quality and its independence," in a preliminary assessment of the results of the survey.

Several of the Chinese think tanks with which Inter-Asia collaborates together with the CIDOB have also been very highly ranked:

Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS)
Top Think Tanks – Worldwide (US and Non-US) (#20)
Top Think Tanks – Worldwide (Non-US) (#9)
Top Think Tanks in China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (#4)
Top Domestic Economic Policy Think Tanks (#12)
Top International Development Think Tanks (#20)
Best Government Affiliated Think Tanks (#3)
Think Tanks with Outstanding Policy-Oriented Public Programs (#25)

Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP, CASS)
Top Domestic Economic Policy Think Tanks (#12)
Top International Economic Policy Think Tanks (#27)

Central Party School
Best Think Tanks with Political Party Affiliation (#12)

China Institute of International Studies (CIIS)
Top Think Tanks – Worldwide (US and Non-US) (#36)
Top Think Tanks – Worldwide (Non-US) (#30)
Top Think Tanks in China, India, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (#3)
Top Foreign Policy and International Affairs Think Tanks (#29)

Best Government Affiliated Think Tanks (#8)