Generous gift to research real-world solutions to poverty

Farmer, philanthropist and ANU alumnus, John Mitchell OAM, has donated $1.25 million to ANU to find universal solutions to the issues affecting the world’s poorest communities.

The John Mitchell Economics of Poverty Lab at the ANU College of Business and Economics aims to have world-wide impact by increasing our understanding of poverty and generating policies to alleviate it through a cutting-edge, evidence-based framework.

The Lab, based at the ANU Research School of Economics (RSE), fulfils an urgent need to take the vast literature of economic poverty theory and translate it into real-world policies and solutions.

Mr Mitchell has a passion for economics and reducing income inequality.

“I want to do all I can to promote generational mobility. University research changes lives and there is no better home for my investment in the future than ANU,” he said.

Mr Mitchell is a committed and visionary donor to ANU. He has supported the University for many years, recently establishing the John Mitchell Research Fellowship with a $490,000 gift to RSE as well as a $5 million bequest for an endowed chair of economic policy.

These donations and the new John Mitchell Economics of Poverty Lab ensure ANU can deliver an ongoing commitment to world-leading research into reducing income inequality and poverty.

Professor Rabee Tourky, RSE Director, said:

“We are very grateful to John and relish his involvement with the School. His leadership in supporting economic research in Australia will have profound impact for generations to come.”

In a joint commitment between Mr Mitchell and ANU, the RSE has committed a further $1.9 million to the Lab over the next 10 years, as well as a Professor, two Associate Professors, two Senior Lecturers and four post-doctorates.

The Lab will officially launch in early 2019.  For ongoing updates about the John Mitchell Economics of Poverty Lab and the latest economic research follow @economicsANU on Twitter.