This report provides a detailed overview of university-level economics education in Quebec, based on administrative data covering the past few decades and interviews with program directors and employers. At the bachelor’s level, the growth in enrollment observed since the 2000s has been concentrated in English-language universities. In the French-language system, the number of Canadian citizens enrolled has been declining over the long term. At the master’s level, the situation is more concerning: enrollment has been declining since the mid-2000s, particularly at French-language institutions, and recent stability relies heavily on international students. Economics programs are thus becoming increasingly dependent on temporary residents, while the local student pool is shrinking.

A clear consensus emerged from the interviews regarding several vulnerabilities specific to the programs. Respondents highlighted a perceived weakening of methodological preparation, increased heterogeneity in mathematics and statistics skills, and a mismatch between students’ expectations and the actual requirements of the program. There is also a persistent lack of understanding of the discipline, which is often confused with management sciences. The challenge thus appears to be less about career opportunities than about the attractiveness and very understanding of economics itself.

In order to strengthen recognition and visibility of the profession, the establishment of a permanent body for the coordination and recognition of the title of economist appears to be a foundational solution consistent with the report’s findings. This body, which could take the form of a professional association or an organization with a formal mandate to protect the title and provide collective representation, would serve as an institutional lever to clarify the competencies associated with the profession, highlight the expertise of graduates, increase the clarity of career paths, and sustainably support the attractiveness and stability of economics education in Quebec.