Imran Rasul

Imran Rasul is a Professor of Economics at University College London (UCL) and holds leadership roles including Director of the ESRC Institute for the Microeconomic Analysis of Public Policy at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), and Co-Director of the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Centre on Wealth Concentration, Inequality and the Economy at UCL Economics. His research focuses on labor, development, and public economics, with notable contributions to poverty alleviation strategies, public sector management, and gender empowerment. He has been awarded prestigious honors such as the Yrjö Jahnsson Award (2019) and OBE (2020), and serves as a Fellow of the British Academy and Econometric Society.

Key research areas include evaluating anti-poverty interventions (e.g., BRAC Ultra-Poor Program), civil service reforms in Ghana and Nigeria, and the impact of vocational training on economic resilience. His work spans multiple continents, with projects in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Uganda, and Sierra Leone. He has contributed to policy design through initiatives like the Punjab Economic Opportunities Program (PEOP) and IGC-funded studies on public service delivery. His publications address topics such as labor market dynamics, bureaucratic effectiveness, and the socioeconomic consequences of crises like Ebola and the pandemic.

• Awards: IZA Young Labour Economist Prize (2007), ERC Starter Grant (2012), British Academy Mid-Career Fellowship (2018)
• Editorial Roles: Co-editor of the Review of Economic Studies (2009-2017), Managing Editor of the Journal of the European Economic Association (2016-2022)
• Institutional Affiliations: IZA, CEPR, BREAD, and JPAL-Europe

His research emphasizes bridging academic rigor and policy impact, with a focus on evidence-based solutions to systemic inequalities and economic challenges in low-income settings.