The University of Zurich (UZH) has made a significant recruitment coup by securing the services of esteemed Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, who will be joining the Department of Economics to establish a new center for development economics. Florian Scheuer, UBS Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics, announced the exciting news that Duflo and Banerjee will assume the roles of Lemann Foundation Professors of Economics at the University of Zurich starting on July 1, 2026.
This development has been praised as a monumental step forward for the university, solidifying Zurich’s reputation as a premier hub for top-tier economic research. While the exact reasons for their departure were not disclosed, their decision to move comes at a time when concerns are raised about potential brain drain from the United States due to reduced research funding and increasing political tensions surrounding academic institutions.
At UZH, Duflo and Banerjee will co-direct the newly established Lemann Center for Development, Education, and Public Policy, which has received a substantial CHF 26 million (USD 32 million) donation from Brazil’s Lemann Foundation. This center aims to not only drive impactful research but also facilitate collaborations between researchers and policymakers globally, with a particular focus on strengthening ties between Switzerland and Brazil.
The couple’s renowned ADEPT program, initially introduced through their research network J-PAL (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab), will also be brought to Zurich. This initiative provides valuable training in program evaluation and development research for students and policymakers. Duflo and Banerjee expressed their confidence in the University of Zurich as an ideal setting to further their research and policy endeavors while continuing their roles at J-PAL and maintaining connections with institutions in Paris.
Overall, their arrival at UZH has been hailed as a significant boost to the university’s academic stature and global influence, aligning with its commitment to combining scholarly excellence with societal impact.