Patrick Lehnert

Patrick Lehnert is an Assistant Professor of Personnel Economics at the University of Zurich's Department of Business Administration, focusing on vocational education's impact on innovation and satellite data applications for economic analysis. He holds a PhD in Management and Economics from UZH (2020), an M.Sc. in Labor Market & Human Resources, and a B.A. in Business Studies from the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. Prior to his academic role, he worked at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) in Nuremberg (2016-2022).

His research explores how vocational training systems influence innovation dynamics, including curriculum reforms' effects on graduate skills and wages. He also pioneers the use of satellite imagery to assess regional economic activity, addressing data gaps. Key areas include gender norms in occupational choices, intergenerational education mobility, and the role of applied sciences institutions in regional innovation ecosystems.

Lehnert's work bridges theory and policy, with studies on apprenticeship systems, gendered career decisions, and the spatial distribution of innovation effects. He is affiliated with the Swiss Leading House VPET-ECON, a leading research hub for vocational education and economic studies.