Nobel-winning economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo to Leave MIT, Join University of Zurich in 2026

Nobel-winning economists Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo will join the University of Zurich in 2026 to establish the Lemann Center for Development Economics amid US funding and policy concerns.

Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, who won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty, will leave their positions at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to join the University of Zurich (UZH) in July 2026. The couple, married and long-time collaborators, will establish and co-lead the newly created Lemann Center for Development, Education, and Public Policy, supported by a CHF 26 million (USD 32 million) endowment from Brazil’s Lemann Foundation.

At UZH, Banerjee and Duflo will each hold endowed professorships and retain part-time roles at MIT, while continuing collaborations with Paris-based institutions. The Lemann Center is designed to foster policy-relevant research, connect researchers with global policymakers, and create pathways for academic training in development and program evaluation. One of its major initiatives will be the ADEPT program, offering top-tier education in development research and policy evaluation to students and practitioners worldwide.

University of Zurich President Michael Schaepman described the appointment as a significant step for the institution, highlighting the couple’s combination of scientific excellence and real-world social impact. “We are delighted that two of the world’s most influential economists are joining UZH. Their presence will strengthen our values and international visibility,” he said. UZH Economics Department Chair Florian Scheuer called the hire a “quantum leap” for Zurich, positioning the city as a hub for world-class research in development economics.

Although the university statement did not specify why Banerjee and Duflo are leaving the US, experts note that the move coincides with concerns about US research funding cuts and political pressures on universities. Duflo, a dual US-French national, previously co-signed an editorial in Le Monde criticizing unprecedented attacks on scientific freedom in the US.

At UZH, the couple aims to expand their work at the intersection of research, student mentorship, and policy impact. Esther Duflo said the Lemann Center will allow them to “build on and expand our work, which bridges academic research, student mentorship, and real-world policy impact.” Banerjee added, “We have no doubt that the University of Zurich will be an excellent environment for us to pursue our research and policy work in the years to come.”

This move marks a notable example of global academic mobility and highlights Switzerland’s growing appeal as a destination for top-tier researchers in economics and social policy. By combining their work at MIT, J-PAL, and UZH, Banerjee and Duflo are poised to continue shaping the field of development economics, training the next generation of policymakers and researchers while fostering evidence-based interventions worldwide.

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