Nobel winners Banerjee, Duflo to leave US for Switzerland
12 Oct 2025

Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo are leaving the United States for Switzerland.

The couple, who currently work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will join the University of Zurich's economics faculty from July next year.

They will set up a new center for development economics at the university.

New roles at University of Zurich
New venture

The Indian-born Banerjee and the French-born Duflo will each hold an endowed professorship at the University of Zurich, sponsored by the Lemann Foundation.

They will also co-lead the new Lemann Center for Development, Education and Public Policy.

The center aims to promote policy-relevant research and connect researchers with education policymakers globally.

The couple's transition to new role
Official statement

University president Michael Schaepman welcomed the couple's decision, calling them "two of the world's most influential economists."

Duflo said the new center would help them "build on and expand our work, which bridges academic research, student mentorship, and real-world policy impact."

The couple will keep part-time positions at MIT while they transition to their new roles in Switzerland.