AREU wins 2018 Prospect Magazine think tank award

KABUL Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU) has won the Best International Social Think Tank Award at the annual London-based Prospect Magazine Think Tank Awards Ceremony, according to a statement on Thursday

The Tata Group sponsored awards recognise think tanks across sectors and regions for their high-quality, evidence-based research. Canada-based MacDonald Laurier Institute, German-based Transparency International and UK-based Institute for Government were also presented the award in the same category for their respective regions.

“What makes AREU’s position unique for this recognition is that we work in the midst of horror with a war going on and bombs going off... but we still manage to produce knowledge of high quality, engage in policy debates and influence policy reforms,” said Dr. Orzala Nemat, AREU Director, who was in London to accept the award. 

One of the judges praised AREU’s “top class research publications based on rigorous analysis with plausible policy prescriptions.” He further noted that AREU’s “work on labour markets and social protection was especially impressive, and one of our panel remarked that some of the results were challenging (even for its funders)—a comment that makes an important point on the priorities that think tanks should always have: stick to the ideas and don’t be swayed by the money! They were worthy winners.”

In addition to winning the award for Social Policy, AREU was also a shortlisted nominee in the category of Energy and Environment.

AREU is an independent research institute based in Kabul and was established in 2002 by the assistance of the international community in Afghanistan. AREU achieves its mission by engaging with policy makers, civil society, researchers and academics to promote their use of AREU’s research-based publications and its library, strengthening research capacity and creating opportunities for analysis, reflection and debate.

Pr/nh