The Department of Economics is delighted to congratulate Professor Daron Acemoglu on being awarded an honorary degree by the University of Oxford at Encaenia 2026.
Professor Acemoglu is an Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Faculty Co-Director of the Stone Center on Inequality and Shaping the Future of Work. Widely regarded as one of the world's leading economists, he is renowned for his pioneering research on the role of political and economic institutions in shaping prosperity, development and inequality.
In 2024, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences, alongside Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson, for their influential work on how institutions are formed and how they affect economic prosperity.
Born in Istanbul, he studied at the University of York and the the London School of Economics before joining MIT in 1993. He has authored influential books including Why Nations Fail and Power and Progress and is a fellow of multiple national and international bodies.
The University has announced that Professor Acemoglu will be among the distinguished individuals receiving honorary degrees at Encaenia on 24 June 2026, alongside figures including Dame Jacinda Ardern GNZM and Billie Jean King, in recognition of their exceptional contributions to their fields and to society.
The Department warmly congratulates Professor Acemoglu on this well-deserved honour.
