US-based Nobel-winning economists Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee will soon relocate from the United States to Switzerland. The University of Zurich (UZH) announced on Friday that the couple will join its economics faculty in July 2026 to establish a new centre focused on development economics.
University president Michael Schaepman welcomed their arrival, saying, “We are delighted that two of the world’s most influential economists are joining UZH.”
Both Duflo and Banerjee currently teach at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They won the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, along with Michael Kremer, for their “experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.”
Reasons Behind the Move
The University of Zurich did not explain why the Nobel laureates decided to leave the US. However, their move comes at a time when experts warn that President Donald Trump’s cuts to research funding and his criticism of academic freedoms could trigger a “brain drain” from American universities.
Duflo, who holds dual US-French citizenship, had earlier co-signed an editorial in Le Monde in March, condemning what she described as “unprecedented attacks” on US science.
New Lemann Centre at University of Zurich
According to UZH, Duflo and Banerjee will each hold an endowed professorship funded by the Lemann Foundation. Together, they will establish and lead the Lemann Centre for Development, Education, and Public Policy.
The new centre will promote research relevant to policymaking and link scholars and education policymakers worldwide.
Duflo said the initiative would allow them to “build on and expand our work, which bridges academic research, student mentorship and real-world policy impact.” She also confirmed that both she and Banerjee will retain part-time teaching positions at MIT while leading the Zurich-based centre.
Nobel Prize 2025 Highlights
Meanwhile, the 2025 Nobel Prizes honoured outstanding contributions in science, literature, and peace. In Medicine, Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi were recognised for revealing how the immune system avoids attacking the body’s own tissues.
The Physics Prize went to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis for their pioneering work in quantum research. In Chemistry, Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi won for developing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai received the Literature Prize, and Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado earned the Peace Prize for her peaceful struggle for democracy and human rights under an oppressive regime.
Broader Impact
The move of Duflo and Banerjee to Switzerland highlights Europe’s growing effort to attract top researchers from the US. Their new centre aims to combine economic research with practical solutions for global poverty and education reform — continuing the legacy that earned them the Nobel Prize.