The Open Think Tank Network (OpenTTN) strives for the creation, development, and cooperation of open-source think tanks around the world. We use innovative crowd-sourcing methods and participatory structures to provide opportunities for participation in political debates outside of the traditional fora. We thereby seek to democratize the development of international policy.
All member organizations of the OpenTTN share the common goal of developing constructive, coherent and future-oriented policy solutions with the objective of fostering a culture of open debate and discussions around highly relevant issues in international affairs.
What's the Open Think Tank Network?
We an association under Swiss law, headquartered in Geneva. All members have signed the articles of association highlighting their commitment to foster the cooperation and the exchange of best-practices within the network.
Member organizations of the Open Think Tank Network are non-partisan and committed to analytical methods to produce the most innovative policy proposals.
foraus (Swiss Forum on Foreign Policy) generates independent, high-quality recommendations for foreign policy decision-makers and the public, thereby bridging the gap between academia and politics. Its non-partisan approach aims to promote an open dialogue and informed decision-making on all aspects of Swiss foreign policy. foraus is a grassroots organization. Its success as a think tank is based on its members’ voluntary commitment. Members are primarily graduates and young professionals, active in a nationwide network of young researchers and foreign policy enthusiasts. The think tank was founded in 2009 and has since become a major civil society actor in Swiss foreign policy.
Polis180 is a grassroots, open and volunteer-led think tank for foreign and European affairs. Resolutely future-oriented, it aims to make the voice of young people heard in foreign policy debates and challenge established ways of thinking. At the heart of Polis180’s mission is the development of innovative foreign policy ideas and the promotion of dialogue. To achieve this, Polis180 was set up as independent and non-partisan, and strives to work with people of different opinions and diverse personal and professional backgrounds. Since being founded in 2015, Polis has grown 500 members strong and has sister organisations all over Europe (UK, France, Switzerland, Austria).
Agora describes itself as the UK’s open forum for foreign policy. It provides a platform for people who are knowledgeable and passionate about international affairs. Their aim is to create and grow a community that combines the intellectual rigour of academia with the professional standards of a think tank. Agora supports its members in developing ideas and empower them to influence foreign policy outside of the conventional channels. It works to produce informed, creative, and pragmatic foreign policy proposals. Through its blogs, briefings, reports, and events, Agora allows a wide range of voices to participate in the key debates on the future of international relations. Agora launched in London in November 2017.
Ponto in Vienna brought a more participatory approach to Austria’s think tank landscape. As a melting pot of cultures and positioned at a meeting-point between the «West» and the «East» of Europe, Vienna is a hub for global politics. These facts and the new developments in Austria’s national political sphere require a new democratic voice. Ponto’s aim is to provide a platform for young people, where relevant issues on foreign policy can be discussed beyond established party lines. The think tank officially launched on May 24th 2018 in Vienna.