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    Nobel laureates Esther Duflo, Abhijit Banerjee to join University of Zurich
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    US-based Nobel Prize laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee. Photo: X/@Florian Scheuer

    Nobel laureates Esther Duflo, Abhijit Banerjee to join University of Zurich

    Facing reduced research funding and curbs on academic freedom in the US, MIT economists and Nobel Prize winners Duflo and Banerjee will move to the University of Zurich in 2026

    The Federal
    12 Oct 2025 3:20 PM IST

    Amid funding cuts and restrictions on academic freedom under Donald Trump’s second-term administration in the United States, US-based Nobel laureates Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee have announced plans to join the University of Zurich (UZH) in Switzerland.

    The couple, who are currently professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), are expected to begin their new roles at UZH on July 1, 2026. However, they will continue to hold part-time appointments at MIT, maintaining their academic ties with the institution.

    Also read: US judge halts another Trump effort to block foreign students from Harvard

    UZH confirms appointment

    The UZH, in a statement, confirmed that Duflo and Banerjee will soon join the educational institute to establish a new centre for development economics. However, the statement did not mention why they decided to leave their current positions at MIT.

    According to UZH, the Lemann Foundation has endowed professorships for the couple at the institute. Both won the Nobel Prize in Economics with Michael Kremer for their "experimental approach to alleviating global poverty".

    To co-lead Lemann Centre

    They will establish and co-lead the new Lemann Centre for Development, Education, and Public Policy, aiming to bolster policy-relevant research. They are also likely to connect researchers and policymakers around the world.

    Duflo expressed that the new Lemann Centre would enable the couple to build on and expand their work, which bridges academic research, student mentorship, and real-world policy impact.

    "We are delighted that two of the world's most influential economists are joining UZH," university president Michael Schaepman said.

    “Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee combine scientific theory with social impact in their research, which is also a key concern for UZH. Their presence will strengthen the values and the international visibility of our university,” Schaepman further noted.

    In a heartwarming post on X, the department chair, Florian Scheuer, welcomed the couple to the institute and confirmed that the Lemann Foundation had donated 32 million USD to hire the laureates at UZH.

    “Beyond their groundbreaking research, they are equally known for their exceptional commitment to student and faculty mentoring and to institution building—something I had the privilege to experience firsthand as a student at MIT,” he noted and thanked the foundation for its generous support.

    Flight of intellectual capital

    Experts have cautioned that Trump’s cuts in research funding and challenges to academic freedom on university campuses could result in the flight of intellectual capital, as other countries show interest in recruiting American talent.

    In March, Duflo, a dual US-French national, co-signed an editorial in Le Monde newspaper denouncing "unprecedented attacks" on US science.

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