Economists Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, Nobel Prize winners in Economics, will join the University of Zurich in July 2026, establishing the Lemann Center for Development Economics.

In an exciting development for the academic community, acclaimed economists Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will be joining the University of Zurich (UZH) in July 2026. The duo, who were awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2019 for their innovative approach to alleviating global poverty, will work within the Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics.

With the financial backing of the Lemann Foundation, Duflo and Banerjee will co-establish the Lemann Center for Development, Education, and Public Policy. This center will focus on fostering policy-relevant research and improving education and health policies, particularly in Brazil where the Lemann Foundation is based.

Esther Duflo, currently the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor at MIT, and Abhijit Banerjee, Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at MIT, are both renowned for their dedication to interdisciplinary research that combines academic insight with significant social impact. UZH President Michael Schaepman expressed his enthusiasm regarding their arrival, recognizing the contribution these economists would make to the university's international profile.

The establishment of the Lemann Center, along with two endowed professorships funded by a generous CHF 26 million donation from the Lemann Foundation (approx. 33 million USD as of November 2025), will enhance UZH's commitment to research and education in development economics. Duflo and Banerjee will also expand the existing ADEPT program and introduce new Master's courses, offering opportunities specifically for Brazilian students.

Florian Scheuer, head of UZH's Department of Economics, noted that the integration of Duflo and Banerjee into their team represents a significant advancement for UZH, benefitting both faculty and students through their expertise in nurturing educational growth and research.

The Center is the sixth such initiative from the Lemann Foundation, following similar partnerships with Harvard, Illinois, Stanford, Columbia and Oxford Universities.

Denis Mizne, CEO of the Lemann Foundation, said in a press release on the Lemann Foundation website, “The Lemann Center in Zurich strengthens our global connection with major international universities such as Harvard, Illinois, Stanford, Oxford, and Columbia. This new knowledge hub with the University of Zurich will be a strategic space to generate research, foster debate, and develop solutions for the major challenges of Brazil and the world, always with a focus on children’s learning, reducing inequalities, and achieving large-scale impact.”

The Lemann Foundation is a Brazilian non-profit founded and funded by Brazilian/Swiss billionaire and former tennis player Jorge Paulo Lemann, a co-founder of 3G Capital, which is the majority shareholder of multiple international consumer brands, including Heinz, Burger King and Anheuser-Busch. The foundation has the aim of advancing education and tackling social challenges in Brazil, primarily through education initiatives.

_{^{Image Credits: Bryce Vickmark / news.uzh.ch}}