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Dr. Marlene Attzs Department of Economics, UWI St. Augustine

Investigating the Relevance of Economics Training and the Demand for Economists : preliminary results from the DOE StA and Mona Processes. Dr. Marlene Attzs Department of Economics, UWI St. Augustine. Presentation to the Economic Growth Conference, Mona September 2007.

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Dr. Marlene Attzs Department of Economics, UWI St. Augustine

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  1. Investigating the Relevance of Economics Training and the Demand for Economists :preliminary results from the DOE StA and Mona Processes Dr. Marlene Attzs Department of Economics, UWI St. Augustine Presentation to the Economic Growth Conference, Mona September 2007

  2. Outline of Presentation • Background to Process • DOE 2/3-stage initiative • Major Employers of DOE Graduates (StA and Mona) • DOE in the context of the UWI Strategic Plan • Survey results and recommendations from stakeholders • Policy Conclusions and recommendations

  3. Background to the DOE Initiative • Objectives of the original surveys were: • To anticipate the demand for Economists in Trinidad and Tobago and in the wider Caribbean in the new millennium; and • To determine DOE’s future research and teaching agenda. • 1st survey of DOE StA graduates done in Q1 1997; 2nd survey done over the period May to July 2006 with a view to updating the baseline data collected in 1997. • DOE Mona process conducted 2007

  4. Primary Employers of DOE Graduates : StA and Mona

  5. Current Context and Process • DOE St. Augustine’s Strategic Plan Process • V- Caribbean people recognise UWI’s Economics Department (s) as being in their corner through our contribution to development of the Caribbean. • M - to deliver quality research, teaching, training, outreach and dissemination of knowledge in the Economics of Development in SIDS in a student friendly environment. • Consultation with stakeholders/users of DOE services/employers of graduates

  6. Results from Civil Society Survey • The sample consisted of local and regional CS and diverse in terms of functions • Primary objective … to distill Civil Society’s perspective of Economics and Economists, particularly wrt the role and function of the UWI DOE StA • Data collection period: July/ August (en process)

  7. Areas of training important to Civil Society • Budget Preparation • Proposal writing • Current economic issues • Accounting • Project evaluation

  8. DOE Mona : Students’ Perception of Economics Teaching • MSc programme • geared towards preparing students for Economics studies at the PhD level and not for the work place; • focus theory vs applicability • Limited exposure to economic dynamics of both the Jamaican and Caribbean economies • Lack of diversity in course options/fields

  9. DOE Mona : Students’ Perception of Economics Teaching • Undergraduate programme • needs to be enhanced to facilitate better preparation for MSc programme: • Need for some compulsory (Economic Development, Caribbean Economics, etc) • Stronger focus on incorporation of more research to enhance writing and analytical skills and better understanding of the discipline

  10. What the DOE can do to Improve its Service Delivery

  11. Future demand for graduates from the DOE trained in …

  12. Summary of respondents recommendations • Need to refine critical thinking, report writing and analytical skills • Greater understanding of the dynamics of the national and regional economy • General view on the need for more consultation/ interaction between Economics Dept and institutions (locally and regionally) in curriculum reform • There needs to be a synergy between the economics skill set and those of the other social sciences (graduates too “specialised”)

  13. Policy Conclusions • Survey results suggest need to rationalise teaching/research • Results suggest some need for mix of “traditional” and “non-traditional” training • Relevance of Economics and Economics Training ought to be in the context of relevant for and to whom?

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