The ‘Asia-Europe Think Tank Dialogue’ is organised annually since 1998 by the Institute for Strategic and Development Studies (ISDS) Manila, The Philippines, and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Singapore, in close cooperation with the EU-Centre Singapore. The aim of this dialogue is to offer representatives of Think Tanks from Asia and Europe the opportunity for an exchange of ideas and experiences on current issues of bi-regional and international relations. The dialogue forum also serves for the sharing of information about ongoing projects and agreements on future cooperation between institutes from both continents.

In 2015, the Think Tank Dialogue will be held in cooperation with the Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’. The Dialogue is dedicated to analysing emerging trends and patterns in 21st century world politics, including:

• Diffusion of power
• Expansion in the number and variety of actors
• Fragmentation of the rules and norms governing international political and economic relations
• Challenges to existing institutions by rising powers
• International ‘forum shopping’ as a political strategy on the rise
• Growth of informal intergovernmental organisations
• Resurgence of the traditional geopolitical agenda and nationalism

What do all these developments portend for international institutions, diplomacy and the new world order?

This Dialogue seeks to address some of these challenges by rethinking the purpose, scope and design of international institutions; re-examining the forms and practices of diplomacy; and imagining the contours of the new world order. The outcome of the Think Tank Dialogue will be a publication based on the papers presented at the conference.

Participation is by invitation only.