In Honor of Ernst Fehr
Festivities and Academic Conference
Ernst Fehr is Professor of Economics at the University of Zurich, and his work has fundamentally influenced our understanding of how social motives and norms shape cooperation, markets, organizations, and political behavior. A global thought leader in behavioral economics, his research has earned widespread recognition, both in academia and in the public sphere.
Fehr has shaped the Department of Economics for more than three decades – as a pioneering researcher, dedicated teacher, former Director of the department, and as the driving force behind the creation of both the Excellence Foundation Zurich and the UBS Center for Economics in Society.
In honor of his 70th birthday in June 2026, the Department of Economics and the University of Zurich are organizing a series of events to celebrate his contributions to science and academic life.
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Nobel laureate Esther Duflo delivered the keynote address titled "Just Economics: A Better Deal for People and Planet", in which she presented a bold vision for tackling climate change through fairness, international cooperation, and evidence-based policy.
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The evening also featured a lively research slam by Ingvild Almås, Ralph Ossa, and Carmen Villa, in which the economists presented their latest findings on pressing global challenges through short, dynamic talks designed to make complex research accessible to a broad audience.
Oliver Hart explored whether investors, acting as citizens, should take a more active role in shaping corporate behavior, balancing financial returns with responsibility for issues like climate change and public health, and ultimately reshaping how companies define success.
For a long time, economics worked with a simple assumption: that people act rationally and mostly in their own interest. Ernst Fehr challenged this, and the evidence he gathered changed the field.
Annual Research Night: Kaspar Villiger Keynote
More about Annual Research Night: Kaspar Villiger KeynoteFormer Swiss Federal Councillor Kaspar Villiger paid tribute to Professor Ernst Fehr on his 70th birthday, one of the highlights of the 2026 Annual Research Night.
When Ernst Fehr became chairman of the department, he had a clear vision for the Zurich Graduate School of Economics: bringing the graduate school model of Top US Departments to Zurich.