Personal
Born: January 21, 1928, Budapest, Hungary
Nationality: Hungarian
Married to Zsuzsa Dániel, economist
Three children: Gábor Kornai, Judit Weibull and András Kornai
Current Posts
Professor of Economics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1986-, Allie S. Freed Professor of Economics, 1991-, Emeritus, 2002-
Honorary Professor Emeritus, Corvinus University of Budapest, 2011-
Past Posts
Permanent Fellow, Collegium Budapest, Institute for Advanced Study, Budapest, 1992-, Emeritus, 2002-2011
Research Professor, Institute of Economics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1967-1993
Head of Department, Computing Center, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1963-1967
Officer, Hungarian Democratic Youth Association, Budapest, 1945-1947
Head of Department, Institute of Textile Industry, Budapest, 1960-1963
Economist, Planning Bureau of Light Industry, Budapest, 1958-1960
Research Fellow, Institute of Economics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1955-1958
Economic Editor, “Szabad Nép” (newspaper), Budapest, 1947-1955
Degrees
Doctor of Sciences (Dr.Sc.), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1965
Doctor of Economics (Dr.Oec.), Karl Marx University of Economics, Budapest, 1961
Candidate of Sciences (C.Sc.), Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, 1956
Visiting Professorships
Harvard, F.W. Taussig Research Professor, 1984-1985
Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, 1983-1984
University of Munich, 1983
University of Geneva, 1981
Stockholm University, 1976-1977
Stanford University, 1973
Princeton University, 1972
Yale University, Cowles Foundation, 1970
Stanford University, 1968
University of Sussex, 1966
London School of Economics, 1964
Learned Societies
Széchenyi Academy of Literature and Art, honorary member, 2018
National Academy of Sciences (USA), Foreign Associate, 2016
World Interdisciplinary Network for Institutional Research, honorary president, 2013
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member, 2006
International Economic Association, President, 2002-2005
Association of New Institutional Economists of Hungary, Honorary President, 2004
European Association for Comparative Economic Studies, Honorary Member, 1996
Russian Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member, 1994
Hungarian Social Science Association, President, 1992
Academia Europeae, Member, 1990
European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy, Honorary President, 1989-
J.S. McDonnel Foundation, USA, Distinguished Fellow, 1988
European Economic Association, President, 1987
Finnish Academy of Sciences, Foreign Member, 1985
Royal Swedish Academy, Foreign Member, 1980
British Academy, Corresponding Member, 1978
Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member, 1976, Full Member, 1982
American Economic Association, Honorary Member, 1976
American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Honorary Member, 1972
Econometric Society, Fellow, 1968, President, 1978
Honorary Degrees
Pan-European University, Bratislava, Honorary Doctor, 2013
Krakow University of Economics, Honorary Doctor, 2008
Central European University, Honorary Doctor, 2004
University of Pécs, Honorary Doctor, 2003
Veszprem University, Honorary Doctor, 2003
Varna University of Economics, Honorary Doctor, 2003
Stockholm School of Economics, Honorary Doctor, 2001
University of Debrecen, Honorary Doctor, 2001
University of Torino, Honorary Doctor, 1993
University of Wroclaw, Honorary Doctor, 1993
Budapest University of Economics, Honorary Doctor, 1992
University of Amsterdam, Honorary Doctor, 1992
University of London, Honorary Doctor, 1990
University of Posnan, Poland, Honorary Doctor, 1978
University of Paris, Honorary Doctor, 1978
Prizes and Other Honors
Open Society Prize, Central European University, 2018
Hazám Prize ('My Country'), 2013
Grand Cross Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, 2010
Leontief Medal (Russia), 2010
'The Twenty Year Old Republic' Award, Hungarian Government, 2009
Lifetime Achievement Award, Hungarian Economic Association, 2008
Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic, Commander’s Cross with the Star, 2007
Prima Primissima Prize (Hungary), 2005
Honorary Citizen of Budapest Capital City, 2005
Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic, Commander’s Cross, 2002
Prize for Advancing the Repute of Hungarians, Hungarian Government, 1997
Officier dans l’Ordre national de la Légion d’Honneur, Republique Francaise, 1997
John von Neumann Medal, awarded by the student body of Rajk László College for Advanced Study, Budapest University of Economics, 1997
Széchenyi Prize, Republic of Hungary, 1994
Main Prize and Ferenc Deák Prize, Foundation "Pro Renovanda Cultura Hungariae", 1994
Erasmus Medal, Academia Europeae, 1992
Alexander von Humboldt Prize, Federal Republic of Germany, 1983
Hungarian State Prize, 1983
F.E. Seidman Distinguished Award in Political Economy, (USA), 1982
Academic Award, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, 1970, 1974
Public Service
Hungarian National Bank (Central Bank), Member of the Monetary Council, 1995-2001
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Scientific Advisory Council, Member, 1989-1994
United Nations, Committee for Development Planning, Vice Chairman, 1972-1977
