Think Tank Development Initiative for Ukraine by Міжнародний фонд "Відродження"

THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE

UKRAINE, 2017

THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE

Think Tank Development Initiative for Ukraine The International Renaissance Foundation, in partnership with the Think Tank Fund of the Open Society Initiative for Europe (OSIFE), launched the Think Tank Development Initiative for Ukraine (TTDI) with financial support of the Embassy of Sweden to Ukraine. TTDI was designed for the period of 2014-2017.

The Think Tank Development Initiative for Ukraine (TTDI) seeks to contribute to Ukraine’s transformation into a successful, inclusive and accountable European democracy by creating the conditions for independent public policy institutions to grow organizationally, strengthening the voice of independent think tanks in the policy process, making their output relevant for key stakeholder groups in Ukrainian society, and enabling them to make stronger impact on policy-making.

The theory of change behind the Think Tank Development Initiative (TTDI) is to improve the quality and practice of public policy making in Ukraine by enhancing the role, visibility and credibility of Ukrainian think tanks in the policy process through strengthening their institutional capacity to deliver quality policy-relevant work. If the initiative succeeds in improving the institutional and policy capacity of Ukrainian think tanks, they will become a stronger actor in domestic policy processes, which will in turn contribute to making those processes more open for external inputs and better prepared to rely on evidence-based policy research in decision-making.

Hence, the outcome objective is improved quality and practice of public policy making in Ukraine that involves civil society participation.

TTDI infrastructure Institutional support for national and regional think tanks The aim of the institutional grant is to strengthen the governance, operational and financial management, policy research and communication. Based on initial organizational systems assessment, the TTDI partner think tanks received short-term mini-grants for acting upon recommendations aimed at increasing the level of their institutional capacity, developing strategy, and getting ready for the two-years institutional grants. TTDI International Selection Committee selected 13 out of 30 think tanks (TTs), initially identified by IRF and invited to take part in the project. Following the 6-month improvement mini-grants and the second wave of institutional assessment, the most successful TTs received twoyear institutional grants (core support),

ranging between $140,000 and $249,000. The core support grants were subject to annual institutional and financial audits and involved capacity building programs for all TTs. Additionally, TTDI supported four regional TTs with the small mini-grants for institutional and policy capacity development. Most of Ukraine’s regional TTs have much lower capacity than national TTs and their systems need to undergo significant improvement before they are ready to receive and perform institutional grants. Hence, the mini-grants helped the organizations understand and take steps towards strengthening their organizational capacity and policy impact and be prepared for the future institutional grants.

The immediate objectives (purpose) of this Initiative are: 1. Enhanced role, visibility and credibility of Ukrainian think tanks in the policy process; and 2. Institutionally stronger think tanks that produce quality research and policy advice, which is in demand and can positively influence policy development.

TTDI capacity-building program The Capacity Building Program within the TTDI was designed to deepen knowledge and skills of engaged analytical teams in the issues they face in their everyday activity. The program emphasized a crafted approach to needs of each partner think tank. The Capacity Building Program consisted of the following interrelated components:

•

common trainings (over 80 trainings)

•

targeted consultations/mentorship for each think tank,

•

internships, study visits (over 20 internships, foreign and domestic)

•

online learning (7 courses were developed, about 7,000 people subscribed to each course).

THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE

REGIONAL REPRESENTATION OF THE TTDI GRANTEES (INSTITUTIONAL AND MINI GRANTS)

6 KYIV

LVIV

POLTAVA

1 DONETSK

1 ODESA Photo courtesy: IRF INSTITUTIONAL REGIONAL

Proactive arrangements for think tanks’ communication and networking: Annual Think Tank Conference and advocacy trip to the EU Member States

TTDI STATISTIC

8 4 7

INSTITUTIONAL GRANTS

MINI GRANTS FOR REGIONAL TTS

DEVELOPED ONLINE COURSES

21-23 months 6-7 months 8 627

DURATIONS OF THE INSTITUTIONAL GRANTS

DURATIONS OF THE MINI GRANTS FOR THE REGIONAL TTS

AVERAGE NUMBER OF THE SUBSCRIBERS FOR THE ONLINE COURSES

Graduate Student Internship Program aims to involve university graduates in think tank activity, promote think tanks and analytical research practice among university graduates, engage a new generation of analysts in the work of think tanks, and promote NGO internships. 21 interns were selected through a nation-wide open competition for an 8-month internship at the TTDI think tanks. Other components of the Internship Program included: • Training program in organizational development, think tank management and policy analysis; •

Short-term study visits to European think tanks;

•

One public discussion.

6 most successful interns were offered employment at partner think tanks for 6 months (until December 2016). After completing the internship program, 5 interns joined the organization as full time analysts and 2 other interns were engaged in the projects. 98% of interns report to be using the skills acquired through their internship. The most useful for interns were research paper writing skills and organizational development experience.

227 21 8 6 6

APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED INTERNS WERE SELECTED FOR AN

MONTH INTERNSHIP MOST SUCCESSFUL INTERNS WERE OFFERED EMPLOYMENT FOR MONTH

THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE

Cooperation with the government

Photo courtesy: IWP

Improved policy dialog and enhanced communication and cooperation between public authorities and TTs at the national and regional levels through joint research and public policy debates. Joint research. The objective of the joint research is to bridge the gaps and develop a culture of participative policy-making. TTDI contribute to developing models of joint policy work between TTDI think tanks and relevant public authorities. Topics of joint research are identified jointly by the think tank and partner public authority. Before engaging in research activity, the think tank and public authority sign a

Memorandum/Cooperation Agreement or exchange Expression of Intent letters. A Memorandum outlines the scope of research, preliminary format of the document, rights and obligations of each Party to Memorandum and method of document publication. During 20152017, TTDI and their counterparts in governmental institutions completed over joint 25 pieces of policy research.

Examples of the joint research: «Conflict Settlement Practices around the World», Institute of World Policy

The study was commissioned to the Institute of World Policy by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. The aim of the study was to research the best practices of the conflict settlement, including the sequence of various conflict settlement stages (e.g. disarmament, amnesty, border control, elections, etc.), with a view to applying these models to the conflict settlement between Russia and Ukraine and to supply the Ukrainian diplomats with valid arguments for sequencing of the conflict settlement stages in the dialogue with the international partners. Within the course of two months, IWP produced a 200-page long study which covered 10 conflict cases from 9 countries. The recommendations for Ukraine were developed based on the collective experience from all cases. Each case was reviewed by the MFA and an independent expert. Two brainstorming sessions on recommendations took place, one with the Ukrainian experts closely aware of the details of the Russian aggression in the East, and the other with a renowned foreign expert and practitioner in conflict settlement.

Some key ideas from the study were presented at public debates, which took place in Kyiv. The key note speakers were the representative of the Ukrainian MFA and the Ukrainian members of the Trilateral Contact Group, the key negotiation group in Minsk format. The study was appreciated by the MFA and the Trilateral Contact Group and acknowledged as a must-read and a valuable supply of ideas for the conflict settlement negotiations process. The study managed to shape the debate about the conflict settlement in the East of Ukraine in a new fashion, moving away from the current paradigm of the Minsk agreements into a constructive discussion about what could provide sustainable peace based on the world’s best practices.

THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE

Algorithms of ConfliCt resolution

Developing spatial-time models and optimizing the passenger traffic of the Ukrainian Rail (Ukrzaliznytsya), TEXTY

The study on Development of the spatial-time models and optimization of the passenger traffic of the Ukrzaliznytsya was commissioned to the Texty by the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. The objective of the study was to organize the data audit, detect the most popular routes, and identify the spatial-time trends in selling of

passenger tickets and favored travel destinations by the railway. The research used the data set provided by the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. Within the course of four months, TEXTY produced five visualizations, which covered 5 main topics: analysis of pre-New Year railway traffic in Ukraine,

THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE

a set of visualizations of eligible passengers, interactive project of intercity passenger trains for 2014-2015 years, time trends in selling of railway tickets, and passenger traffic of the Ukrainian railway stations (in terms of hours of day, days of the week and days of the year). The recommendations for Ukrzaliznytsya were developed based on the collective experience from all cases. The TEXTY team developed each case based based on data science methodology and available statistics.

Free apart: SWOT analysis of the models of restructuring of the group NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine as a result of unbundling of the natural gas transportation function and asset, Dixi group

Some key ideas from the study were presented publicly in Kyiv and discussed with the key stakeholders: Ukrzaliznytsya, the Ministry of the Infrastructure of Ukraine, Ukrainian businesses, experts and journalists. The study provided a useful tool for the reform process of the infrastructure sector and contributed to further policy thinking on shaping the future modernization of the Ukrainian railway networks, particularly the passenger traffic. It will help optimize the ticket sales process and improve managerial and decision-making practices of the Ukrainian railways).

The study was commissioned to the Dixi group by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Fuel and Energy Complex, Nuclear Policy and Nuclear Safety. In preparation of the report DiXi Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s analysts aimed at identifying critical pitfalls in the Third Energy Package-based reorganization of the state verticallyintegrated O&G monopoly on the backdrop of unprecedented circumstances of significant external risks mainly stemming from Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gazprom and considerable internal uncertainties related to the intentions and interests of Naftogaz itself. The think tank applied a SWOTanalyses based methodology to evaluate two competing models of gas transportation function unbundling, namely that of the Ministry of Energy and the one proposed by Naftogaz.

the results delivered in an easilycomprehensible and visualized two-pages summary provide the reader with substantially generalized information sufficient to form its own grounded and informed opinion of stronger and weaker parts of each models analyzed. TTDI emphasized policy debates as an effective tool for building a transparent and inclusive policy dialogue between governmental decision-makers and think tanks. The partner think tanks held over 60 policy debates in 2015-2016.

Since the research initiator and the main audience were the members of the Ukrainian Parliament willing quickly to scan the main points of difference and respectively varying risks, the task essentially narrowed down to listing SWOT points of both models in a comparable way and to highlighting those representing critical risks and disadvantages. Although it was not the purpose of the study to provide the audience with direct recommendations of any kind,

THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE

THINK TANK THINK DEVELOPMENT TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE FOR UKRAINE

Self-assessment instrument for think tanks TTDI initially thought to design and pilot a Think Tank Index meant to become a tool for assessing and building institutional capacity, measuring and evaluating impact, and encouraging think tanks to mature.

Main accomplishments of TTDI (2014- first part of the 2017):

TTDI helped to significantly enhance the role, credibility and visibility of the partner think tanks, thus contributing to the improving of public policy making as a key to the reforms. TTDIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Capacity Building Program focused on 1. organizational development, 2. public policy analysis, and 3. strategic communication).

The participatory assessment of TTDI partner think tanks gave us new ideas on how think tanks in Ukraine can be strengthened in their policy-shaping roles and how donors can help that process. The tool was designed for think tanks and policy advocacy NGOs that have an analytical component in their operation. The purpose of the tool to help think tanks identify strengths and weaknesses of their organizational capacity, which is primarily understood as a set of qualities and processes that allow an organization to perform its core mission and achieve impact. Assuming that most organizations are aiming to bring sustainable structural change, either at the national or regional level and influence policymaking, the selfassessment tool allows for a scan across seven key organization capacities. It also

motivates the think tank staff to reflect together as a team on the organizational and policy capacity development issues. Each capacity category has a set of indicators that are assigned a score, based on clearly defined targets. An organization should provide required evidence for each indicator that would allow verification.

This included better use of methods of research, quality assurance and the peer review, improved communication skills and media outreach, strengthened institutional capacity, including focus on international standard setting, transparency and separation of powers between the leading organs and secretariats. TTDI contributed to making most of the partner think tanks highly effective by strengthening their ability to produce a high number of measurable outputs and outcomes: as the recent external evaluation of TTDI showed, between 2013 and mid2016 infographics/statistical data use increased by 209%, the analytical work by

70%, the production of policy briefs by 50%, the number of surveys conducted among target groups grew by 9%, and the number of seminars, conferences and roundtables they organised grew by 76%. Infographics/statistical data use

+209 %

Analytical work

+70 %

Production of policy briefs number of surveys conducted among target groups

+50 %

+9 %

number of seminars, conferences and roundtables they organised

+76%

2013

mid-2016

The predominant majority of the partner think tanks adhere to the mainstream policies of the establishment of anti-corruption and conflict of the interest policies, maintaining a good balance between men and women at staff, leadership and board levels, nondiscrimination, transparent procurement and the green office policies.

THINK TANK DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE FOR UKRAINE

TTDI institutional grantees Most of TTDI grantees improved collaboration with decision-makers, became members of committees or advisory bodies to the president, the national or local governments. The grantees made inputs to the national policy-making, drafted legislation. Most of the partner TTs increased collaboration at the EU level and with countries of Eastern and Central Europe. TTDI grantees signifactly improved their visibility in the media. Most grantees work actively with the media, including TV, newspapers and the social media, including websites, Facebook and Twitter. TTDI launched a joint research initiative of partner think tanks and relevant public authorities. Over 20 joint research projects, addressing policy issues relevant to the reform process, were conducted within TTDI in 20152016. One partners TTs received the direct grant from USAID and three organizations the institutional grants from the Think Tank Fund of the Open Society Initiative for Europe (OSIFE).

Three partner TTs have got to the Global 2016 Global Go To think tank index (CEDOS, IWP and DIF). One partner TT (Texty) has become the finalist in Data Journalism Awards - 2016 contest with its Project ”Money, meters, two autos”. Two TTs have got to the Transparify’s 2016 think tank transparency report (CEDOS and IWP) were ranked. TTDI’s graduate student internship program at partner think tanks received a wide response. 227 applications were submitted by qualified university graduates, which amounted to more than 11 candidates per place available during the first wave of the internship program. 21 interns were selected through an open competition for a half-year internship program. Subsequently, 6 most successful interns were employed at the partner think tanks.

Institute of World Policy, Kyiv http://iwp.org.ua/ukr/

European Dialogue, Lviv http://dialog.lviv.ua/ All –Ukrainian NGO “Association for community self-organization assistance” Odesa http://samoorg.com.ua/ Di-Xi Group, Kyiv http://www.ua-energy.org/

CEDOS (former Centre for Society Research) http://www.cedos.org.ua

The Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF) http://dif.org.ua/en/index.htm

Europe Without Barriers http://novisa.org.ua/en/

Agency of Journalism Data (Texty) http://texty.org.ua

Contact Information: Inna Pidluska, Deputy Executive Director pidluska@irf.ua (+380 44) 461 97 09 Sofia Golota, Initiative coordinator golota@irf.ua (+380 44) 461 95 00