Recently, the 2026 Global Think Tank Summit hosted by renowned international think tank research institution On Think Tanks (OTT) was held at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Rabat, capital of Morocco. Centered on the theme Think Tanks and Trust, the summit gathered think tank professionals and scholars from across the globe to discuss frontier topics including think tank development and AI-enabled knowledge production.

Professor Li Gang, Director of the China Think Tank Research and Evaluation Center of Nanjing University, led a team to attend the event and delivered a keynote speech.

A special session titled Understanding Chinese Think Tanks: An Opportunity for Collaboration was organized during the summit. Professor Li Gang presented a report entitled From Policy Research Organizations to Think Tanks: The Drive to Build New-type Think Tanks in China. He systematically reviewed the transformation process and institutional logic of China's new-type think tanks. Supported by data from the China Think Tank Index (CTTI) developed by Nanjing University, he illustrated profound changes and achievements of Chinese think tanks in organizational structure, research capacity, policy consultation mechanisms and public communication.

Researcher Liu Xiwen, Director of the National Science Library, Chinese Academy of Sciences, gave a speech entitled Empowering Chinese Think Tanks with AI-Generated Content, explaining how artificial intelligence has revolutionized the research models and service capabilities of Chinese think tanks from the perspective of cutting-edge technology and knowledge services.

The special conference drew think tank leaders from various regions worldwide for in-depth exchanges. International participants spoke highly of the progress and experience of Chinese think tanks, and focused on conducting practical cooperation between Chinese and foreign think tanks to address common challenges in global governance. This participation marks an important effort of Nanjing University's think tank research community to engage in international academic exchanges, which helps the international community better understand China’s think tank system and expands cooperation between the two sides.

Writer: Tang Yuqing

Editor: Liu Fangyu, Chao Yijia