Nobel Economist to open new research centre at Oxford University

Nobel Laureate economist and celebrated Harvard professor Amartya Sen will mark the opening a new centre for the study of poverty and human development at Oxford University, with a public lecture on ‘What Theory of Justice’: 30 May 2007, Wednesday 5.00 – 6.30pm, Sheldonian Theatre, Broad Street, Oxford. 

The new Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), based at the University’s Department of International Development (Queen Elizabeth House), aims to advance research on human development and economics. Its scholars hope their research will help policy and decisionmakers in governments, international institutions, and independent development agencies, to improve human wellbeing. 

The new centre is inspired by Amartya Sen's writings on human development and capability. Sen’s vision is that sustainable economic growth will be complemented by policies that promote fairer distribution of wealth; political systems that support democratic activity; institutions that offer health, education and social protection; flourishing cultural activities and societies in which human rights are protected.