26/05/2026
🌍 The OTT Conference 2026: A Gathering of Global Think Tank Leaders
Last week, the European Student Think Tank, represented by our President , had the privilege of participating in the 10th annual OTT Conference in Rabat, Morocco 🇲🇦
The conference brought together nearly 150 think tank leaders from over 50 nationalities and institutions worldwide 🌐🤝
Alongside inspiring keynote speeches and discussions on the future of think tanks, EST also contributed directly to the programme. As a grantee of the Building for the Future Initiative (Cycle III), we co-hosted a parallel session together with Network for Open Science, Policy Institute, and Think Tank 🎤✨
Our session — “The Role of Student-Led Think Tanks: Education, Impact, and Professionalisation” — explored how youth-led and hybrid think tanks are evolving as spaces for learning, policy engagement, and institutional innovation. Discussions focused on sustainability, youth participation in policymaking, professionalisation, credibility, and long-term collaboration.
The conference was an invaluable opportunity to connect with experts from around the world, strengthen our international network, and lay the groundwork for future collaborations. We are especially grateful to Think Tanks for making this experience possible 🙏
One keynote speaker captured the spirit of the conference perfectly:
“All the knowledge we need is in this room — it does not exist yet, we will produce it.” 💡
At a time when AI can process existing knowledge faster than ever, the real challenge remains deeply human: deciding which questions matter, which voices deserve to be heard, and which ideas are worth bringing into the room.
This is where youth-led think tanks like EST can play a unique role — not only as producers of ideas, but as communities shaping the conversations that will define the future 🚀
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