Stefan Dercon

Professor Stefan Dercon is a Professor of Economic Policy at the University of Oxford and Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE). He holds a Professorial Fellowship at Jesus College, Oxford. His academic background includes a BA in Philosophy and Licentiate in Economics from Leuven (Belgium), and MPhil and DPhil in Economics from the University of Oxford.

Dercon's research focuses on understanding poverty dynamics, market failures, and policy interventions in Africa. Key areas include psychological challenges of poverty, political economy of development, industrialization strategies, technology adoption, and crisis financing. He previously served as Chief Economist at the UK Department for International Development (2011-2017), advising on evidence-based aid policies.

His recent work emphasizes anticipatory cash transfers for disaster resilience, educational leadership impacts in Malawi, and the role of aspirations in long-term development outcomes in Ethiopia. Dercon has contributed to global debates on climate change adaptation, urbanization, and the future of aid in development contexts. His research spans experimental methodologies and policy analysis, with a focus on translating findings into actionable strategies for poverty reduction and economic transformation.