Research Guides: HIAD: Higher and Adult Education: Think Tanks

Think Tanks

A think tank or policy institute is an organization that conducts research and influences public policy. Some think tanks are nonprofit organizations while others are funded by the government, interest groups, or businesses.

Be sure to check the information about an organization before using a report or statistics. Look at how a think tank describes itself (often through an "About" page) as well as how it is described by third parties.

Information from think tanks would be considered "grey literature."

Searching Think Tanks

Harvard Think Tank Search
Custom Google search for over a thousand think tanks.
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Maintained by the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Library & Research Services.
Policy Commons
Repository of reports from thousands of think tanks and other agencies from across the world. Requires creating a free account.

Site Searching

A helpful tool for searching think tanks is the Google site search tool. You enter your existing search words and then add "site:" and a domain or URL you want to search. You could then, for example, search the website of a think tank you think will have reports or research on a topic of interest.

Domain example: site:.org
URL example: site:epdc.org

Example Higher and Education Think Tanks

Aspen Education "The Aspen Institute Education & Society Program (Aspen Education) improves public education by inspiring, informing, and influencing education leaders to take action across policy and practice, with an emphasis on achieving equity for students of color and children from low-income backgrounds."
Center for International Higher Education "Founded in 1995, CIHE promotes the belief that an international perspective is needed to foster enlightened policies and practices in higher education. All of the work that we do, in the domains of research, publication, education and advisory services, is guided by our commitments."
Educational Policy & Data Center "Education Policy and Data Center (EPDC) was founded in 2004 with the insight that education policy has to be based on strong evidence, including accurate and timely data, and sound analysis of the challenges and solutions. As a research unit within the Global Learning Group of FHI 360, EPDC serves as a resource for education data, profiles, and data reports on education status at the country and subnational level, research papers on issues and challenges in education in developing and transitional countries, as well as medium-term education projections."
Education Commission of the States "Education Commission of the States serves as a partner to state policymakers by providing personalized support and helping education leaders come together to learn from one another. Through our programs and services, policymakers gain the insight and experience needed to create effective education policy."
The Education Trust "The Education Trust is committed to advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the American education system. Through our research and advocacy, Ed Trust improves equity in education from preschool through college, engages diverse communities dedicated to education equity and justice, and increases political and public will to build an education system where students will thrive."
The Institute for College Access & Success "The Institute for College Access & Success is a trusted source of research, design, and advocacy for student-centered public policies that promote affordability, accountability, and equity in higher education."
Lumina Foundation "Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis that is committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials."
National Education Policy Center "The mission of the National Education Policy Center is to produce and disseminate high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. We are guided by the belief that the democratic governance of public education is strengthened when policies are based on sound evidence."
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center "The National Student Clearinghouse® Research Center™ is the research arm of the National Student Clearinghouse. The Research Center works with higher education institutions, states, districts, high schools, and educational organizations to better inform practitioners and policymakers about student educational pathways. Through accurate longitudinal data outcomes reporting, the Research Center enables better educational policy decisions, leading to improved student outcomes."
The Postsecondary National Policy Institute "PNPI is the leading source of professional development for current and prospective policymakers who work on higher education issues. PNPI’s professional development briefings and seminars provide participants with an opportunity to consider a full range of higher education topics, while engaging in constructive dialogue with postsecondary leaders, researchers, and their colleagues."
Urban Institute Education "The Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization that provides data and evidence to help advance upward mobility and equity."