Nobel Laureates Abhijit Banerjee And Esther Duflo To Move From MIT To University Of Zurich

Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo, currently professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will relocate to Switzerland next year to join the University of Zurich (UZH). The university confirmed that the couple will assume roles in its economics faculty beginning July 2026, where they will also establish the Lemann Centre for Development, Education, and Public Policy.

“We are thrilled to welcome two of the world’s most influential economists to our faculty,” said UZH President Michael Schaepman.

Banerjee and Duflo, who received the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics alongside Michael Kremer for their groundbreaking work on alleviating global poverty through experimental approaches, will each hold endowed professorships funded by the Lemann Foundation.

The move comes amid concerns about declining research support and restrictions on academic freedom in the US under President Donald Trump’s administration, which experts warn could trigger a scientific brain drain. Duflo, who holds dual US-French citizenship, co-authored an op-ed in Le Monde earlier this year criticizing “unprecedented attacks” on American science.

The couple expressed that the new Lemann Centre would help them expand their ongoing research, mentorship, and policy initiatives connecting academia with real-world development challenges. They will, however, continue to maintain part-time affiliations with MIT.

Meanwhile, the 2025 Nobel Prizes have recognized major achievements across various disciplines, including medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, and peace, with Venezuela’s María Corina Machado receiving the Peace Prize for her efforts to promote democracy and human rights.