The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) was voted Think Tank of the Year 2008 at Prospect magazine’s eighth annual award ceremony held at King’s College London on Monday 6 October.

See Prospect magazine's announcement here.

Chair of the judging panel and former editor of Guardian Public, David Walker, said of RUSI in 2008:

There are other strong performers in the field of security and international affairs but this think tank combines strong focus with global reputation witness the number and seniority of visitors who have graced its podium in the past. Once aligned with the political right, this think tank has moved to the centre ground, deploying expertise, research and a new rigour in an impressive set of publications and policy interventions. That is why our think tank of the year is the Royal United Services Institute.

Presenting the award, Rt Hon George Osborne MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, commented:

In 2008 RUSI has consistently delivered important thinking and careful reflection on defence and security matters. Prospect Magazine’s 'Think Tank of the Year Award' is well deserved recognition of RUSI’s achievements over the past year.

Accepting the award, Professor Michael Clarke, Director of RUSI, said:

It is very exciting to win the 'Think Tank of the Year Award' for 2008. It acknowledges the team at RUSI who have worked so hard this year to meet the intellectual challenges of a new security environment, as well as the organisational challenges in reinforcing RUSI’s reputation as the major channel for thinking about British security. RUSI has reflected the military and defence debate over the years and the challenge is now the global security agenda. We are striving to be a think tank in the broadest sense in this bigger arena.

The runner up was the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and winner of 'Pamphlet of the Year' was awarded to the Centre for Social Justice’s for Breakthrough Britain.

The judging panel included: Baroness Falkner of Margravine, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Communities and Local Government in the House of Lords; Professor Sir Lawrence Freedman, King's College London; David Goodhart, Editor of Prospect; David Halpern, Director of Nexus and lecturer at Cambridge; David Walker and Rohan Silva, Economic Advisor to the Shadow Chancellor.

About RUSI

RUSI was founded in 1831 at the initiative of the Duke of Wellington. Its original mission was to study naval and military science, what Clausewitz called the ‘art of war’.

It is a unique institution; it is the oldest surviving united services institute in the world. It embodies nearly two centuries of forward thinking, free discussion and careful reflection on defence and security matters. It can achieve this thanks to its long-standing base in London's Whitehall and also through regional offices in the Gulf and the United States.

More about RUSI