Annual Report 2007 - Observer Research Foundation

While ORF was founded over 17 years ago in 1990, its expansion
began in 2003 when the Foundation started functioning
from its new campus in New Delhi. It has been
four years since then and a number of important studies
and activities have been conducted in this short period.
By now ORF has developed substantial expertise in the
arenas of International Affairs and Defence & Security
issues and has established a solid reputation as a thinktank
in India and abroad. It has been attracting highly
experienced personnel to lead its activities in these areas
and demonstrated strong convening power in organizing
seminars and discussions as well as research endeavours
aimed towards influencing public policy. ORF has also initiated partnerships with a large number of
institutions, international as well as Indian, as an explicit strategy to leverage its efforts.
In order to achieve world-class standard as a think tank on public policy, ORF is focusing on the
quality of its outputs – print and electronic. The process of revamping the website (www.orfonline.
org) has been initiated to make it much faster, more interactive with more frequent updates to generate
greater user interest. Quality parameters have been adopted for our publications and a process of
academic review of all materials prior to publication has been introduced in ORF. A consultant was
assigned the task of identifying modes to be adopted to reach ORF publications to the academic community
through the research institutions and libraries across the country. The report by the consultant
has suggested measures to reach booksellers in different cities and ways of accessing the several
institutions and libraries.
In keeping with this emphasis on the quality of ORF output, further consolidation of the research
activities and streamlining of ORF management was initiated building upon the Forward Path vision
document developed in 2005 and presented during the ORF Retreat in Barog. A senior management
consultant was engaged by ORF in April 2006 with the brief to develop an action plan and budget for
OVERVIEW
Quality parameters have been adopted for our
publications and a process of academic review
of all materials prior to publication has been
introduced in ORF
Annual Report 2007 ◆ Observer Research Foundation
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