The OCGG has since its foundation transformed itself both in terms of its organization and its activities.

establishment

In May 2003, the OCGG was established.
The organization first came into being with our first project, based around a group of students at the University of Oxford.
In cooperation with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), we advised Mr Philippe Busquin, European Commissioner for Research, on the new EU space policy. We produced over 40 actionable recommendations on specific issues. Whereas the SGAC provided technical expertise and surveyed the opinions of young space professionals all over Europe, the OCGG produced analysis and advice on institutional and legal issues. The OCGG played a key part in presenting our recommendations to Mr Busquin at meetings in London and Paris.
After this successful project, we began scaling up the organization while launching new projects, soon expanding outside Oxford by recruiting people from other world leading universities, such as Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, ENA, and Sciences Po.
We also began building our Board of Advisors of global leaders.

incorporation

In the autumn 2003, we registered under English law as a private company limited by guarantee, which is one common legal platform for think tanks and other non-profit organizations in the UK.
Our registration had formal support from government by the Rt Hon Alan Johnson MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education at the Department for Education and Skills.
Moreover, our registration enjoyed formal support from academia by the Hon Michael Beloff QC, President of Trinity College in Oxford, and Prof Dr Stephen Weatherill, Jacques Delors Professor of European Community Law and Fellow of Somerville College in Oxford.
Lastly, our registration received formal support from other independent non-profit organizations by Mr Will Hutton, Chief Executive of the Work Foundation, and Mr Paul Reilly, Co-Chair of the Space Generation Advisory Council. In this process, we also received informal encouragement from the Rt Hon Dr Denis Macshane MP, Minister for Europe at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Rt Hon Beverley Hughes MP, Minister of State at the Home Office, and Mr Andrew McDonald, Constitution Director at the Department for Constitutional Affairs.
In the spring 2009, we decided to remove the status as a company because it eventually added little value but much red tape to the organization.

actionable advice to political leaders

From the beginning in 2003 to today, the main objective has remained to provide actionable advice to political leaders, primarily through meetings, although we have also in periods published on a large scale.

strategic review

2013-2018, we carried out a strategic review, from our global analysis to our policy impact, leading to a fresh articulation of our purpose and activities.