Abstract: Previous RBA work has highlighted the decline in the number of universities offering economics, weak enrolments in economics courses and a lack of diversity in the economics student population. Several factors appear to be contributing to these trends. At the student level economics faces many challenges, including fewer students becoming familiar with economics before university, the relatively low availability and high cost of economics courses, low completion rates, a lack of role models from diverse backgrounds, and misperceptions about wage outcomes and employment opportunities for economics graduates. At the university level, economics appears to be underperforming on financial and other indicators that could influence university administrators’ decisions about where resources are allocated. Join our discussion about what actions are needed to address these challenges.

Bio: Melissa Wilson is an economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia and completed this work while on secondment to the Bank’s Public Access & Education team. Melissa has worked in various roles across the Bank’s Economic Analysis, Financial Stability and International departments. She holds Bachelors of Economics and Commerce from the University of Adelaide, an honours degree from the University of Melbourne, and a masters degree from the University of New South Wales.