The German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) is one of the leading Think Tanks for development policy worldwide. This has been attested in January 2013 by the ranking of the Global Go To Think Tanks Report (of the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP)): For the fifth consecutive time, DIE has been selected as one of the Top Ten influential think tanks and research institutions in the field of development policy worldwide. The German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) is one of only three European research institutes ranked in this Top Ten list. DIE improved its visibility in the international context in the current ranking on a wide scale, such as in the categories Top Think Tanks in Western Europe, Top Think Tanks – Worldwide and Best Government Affiliated Think Tanks. Once again, DIE belongs to the Top 20 institutions among the Think Tanks with the Most Innovative Policy Ideas/Proposals. Furthermore, DIE was evaluated in a number of categories for the first time, e.g., within the category Think Tanks with Outstanding Policy-Oriented Research Programs) or in the field of knowledge marketing (Think Tanks with the Best External Relations/Public Engagement Program). The Institute is based in the UN-City of Bonn. DIE builds bridges between theory and practice and works within international research networks. The key to DIE’s success is its institutional independence, which is guaranteed by the Institute’s founding statute.
The German DIE is a non-profit company with limited liability. The Institute’s institutional independence is guaranteed by its founding statute. The shareholders are the Federal Republic of Germany and the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia. The Institute is headed by Prof. Dr. Dirk Messner (Director). At present, DIE has a staff of more than 100, two-thirds of whom are researchers.