Economic theory: nature and professional education

Abstract

The nature of economic theory strongly determines the professional training of the economist. The abstract, theoretical, modelistic nature of economic theory and its teaching, strongly based on the transmission of knowledge, tend to develop more in the economist thinking skills but less professional competencies. The abstract and modelistic training of economists is a plus of the economics degree compared to other degrees that emphasize the purely instrumental part of knowledge. However, this plus should be focused more on the learning of routines and thinking procedures that lead to the systematization of professional competencies related to the solution of practical problems.