News Release

Technology center at Royal Holloway, University of London, named among the world's top think tanks

Grant and Award Announcement

Royal Holloway, University of London

Royal Holloway's ICT4D Centre has today been named as the world's 10th top Science and Technology think tank, in a report launched at the World Bank and United Nations.

The Global GoTo Think Tank Index is based on recommendations from a number of global experts and institutions.

The ICT4D Centre is the only UK-based centre to be featured in a top ten led by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and largely focused on American-based institutions. It is recognised for its research on the sustainable use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to help international development and support poorer communities across the world.

Previous examples of their work included projects in Ethiopia, where they supported millions of street children who were not in school, by providing resources for their non-formal education in drop-in centres. They are also helped to prevent the sexual abuse and exploitation of children by using ICT to help vulnerable girls raise their awareness and share their experiences of sexual abuse and exploitation.

In addition, the Centre has carried out work to combat Malaria, using ICT to share effective information on how to avoid getting it and what steps to take if you think you are infected.

The Global GoTo Think Tank Index is produced annually by the University of Pennsylvania. An international survey of scholars, policy makers and journalists, the prestigious report aims to bridge the gap between knowledge and policy in a number of critical areas, as well as highlight the important and vital work of think tanks to governments and civil societies around the world.

Professor Tim Unwin, Emeritus Professor at Royal Holloway's Department of Geography and UNESCO Chair at the ICT4D Centre said: "It is indeed a great honour to be featured in this influential and important report. We are delighted that our work has been recognised as being relevant for policy makers at the highest level.

"The ICT4D Centre is also a great example of what can be achieved through cross-disciplinary working, combining as we do the expertise of staff, postgraduates and undergraduates in several of the leading departments at Royal Holloway university."

The Centre brings together expertise particularly from the Departments and Schools of Geography, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Management at Royal Holloway.

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