The Australian Institute of International Affairs leads the nation in the world of wonkery, as calculated by James G McGann and colleagues for the University of Pennsylvania’s new edition of its  ranking of global policy centres. Of 173 world leading centres, the Australian Institute for International Affairs is 54^th, eight down on last year. It is followed by the Lowy Institute at 57^th (unchanged) and the Centre for Independent Studies at 104^th (up two).

Of the top 100 in the Asia-Pacific just 11 are Australian.

However, Australia puts in a prestigious performance on the review’s first list of research institutes working on food security which cites; the Australian Rivers Network (Griffith U), Australian Centre for World Functional Genomics (UniAdelaide), Australian Plant Phenomics Facility (UniAdelaide, ANU, CSIRO, NCRIS), Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (UofQ and Qld state government) and UWA’s Institute for Agriculture.

On water security, local research institutions listed are Centre for Water Economics, Environment and Policy (ANU), Australia Centre for Water Policy and Management, (LaTrobe U), CSIRO, CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, Australia Global Water Institute (UNSW), International Water Centre (UoQ, Griffith, UWA, Monash) Australia Water Research Centre, (UNSW).

Among university affiliated think tanks, five Australian institutions make the cut; ANU’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre (= 27^th  – up one), the Centre for International Security Studies at UniSydney, (=33^rd) the Globalisation and Development Centre at Bond U (47^th). The Australia China Relations Institute at UTS is 79^th and ANU’s National Security College is 84.^th