ESMT Berlin: Leading economist Michael Weber awarded Humboldt Professorship

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation awards up to 10 professorships annually to leading international researchers across all disciplines and provides funding of up to €5 million for each appointment. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space, the program brings world-class scholars to Germany to pursue long-term, high-impact research. 

Michael Weber is internationally recognized for his research on inflation expectations, household finance, and macroeconomics. His work examines how consumers and businesses perceive inflation, how these expectations shape economic decisions, and why communication by policymakers and central banks often fails to resonate with the public. At ESMT, Weber will establish and lead the European Expectations Center, a new research hub dedicated to the study of inflation expectations and economic behavior. Scheduled to launch in late 2026, the center will conduct annual international surveys, produce academic and policy-oriented research, and foster dialogue among researchers, policymakers, and business leaders across Europe and beyond. 

“I am honored to receive the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship and excited to continue my research at ESMT,” said Weber. “We still know too little about how households and firms form expectations about inflation and translate them into economic decisions. The European Expectations Center will create a strong empirical foundation for better policymaking and a deeper understanding of economic behavior.” 

“Michael Weber’s research addresses some of the most pressing economic questions of our time, from inflation expectations to trust in economic policy,” said Jörg Rocholl, president of ESMT. “His work combines academic excellence with real-world relevance in a way that strongly reflects our mission. Welcoming him to ESMT and establishing the European Expectations Center further advances our international research profile.” 

One of seven Humboldt Professorship recipients in 2026, Weber joins a distinguished group of international scholars relocating to Germany from leading institutions around the world. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation supports more than 2,000 researchers annually and maintains a global network of more than 30,000 Humboldtian scholars, including 63 Nobel laureates. 

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation will livestream the ceremony at 7 p.m. on its YouTube channel.