Paul Collier

Sir Paul Collier is Professor of Economics and Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and serves as the Oxford Academic Director of the International Growth Centre, a collaboration between the LSE and Oxford Universities. He is also a member of the Natural Resource Governance Institute Board.

His academic work spans decades of research focused on economic development challenges in the world's poorest regions, bridging theoretical economics with practical policy solutions, particularly in contexts of conflict, natural resource management, and regional economic decline.

Professor Collier's research interests center on economic development, with specific focus areas including:

• Mitigating the challenges of migration and the refugee crisis
• Understanding urbanization processes in low-income countries
• Addressing the political economy of resource-rich but economically poor nations
• Exploring how cultural factors influence economic outcomes
• Developing frameworks for regional renewal in neglected places
• Analyzing the relationship between democracy and economic development in fragile states

His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of economic policy, social cohesion, and cultural dimensions in development contexts. Collier's work increasingly emphasizes the importance of collective learning, social capital, and local agency in reversing economic decline, moving beyond traditional market-centric approaches.

Among his notable scientific contributions are:

• Handesblatt Prize for The Future of Capitalism
• Arthur Ross Prize for The Bottom Billion
• Adam Smith Prize by Glasgow's Philosophical Society (2023)
• Global Citizenship Award by Belgium's cooperative movement (2018)
• 2025 Axiom Business Book Award for Left Behind

Professor Collier actively advises governments and international organizations on development policy, with particular emphasis on practical approaches to regional renewal. His current research project "Establishing state legitimacy and effectiveness in fragile and conflict-affected societies," funded by a British Academy Grant, examines how conflict-affected states can build functional governance capacity. He has also contributed to Oxford University's first MOOC "From poverty to prosperity: understanding economic development," making his expertise accessible globally.