Viernes 18 de Septiembre de 2026
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Established in 1935, the Department of Economics has since positioned itself both nationally and internationally as one of the country’s most dynamic and prestigious centers for economic education and research. Historically, it is recognized as a breeding ground for distinguished economists who, spanning the public and private sectors, have made significant contributions not only to the economic realm but also to the political landscape and the nation’s development. Notable alumni include several national authorities—such as Presidents of the Republic, Ministers of State, and Governors of the Central Bank of Chile—as well as leaders within international institutions, including the IMF, the World Bank, the IDB, and the OECD.
The faculty of the Department of Economics continuously conducts academic and applied research on topics of significant public relevance. Academic research endeavors include projects funded by FONDECYT, initiatives for the Research Network organized by the IDB, and publications in leading international journals.
The consensus regarding the pivotal role of education as a driver of social mobility and integration has generated an increasing demand for research on institutional design, impact evaluations of specific programs, and analyses of the determinants of educational outcomes.
Health is intrinsically linked not only to equity and societal well-being, but also to investment in human capital. From both perspectives, the Department of Economics has developed comprehensive studies on the institutional design of the healthcare sector, management and governance challenges, program evaluation, and policy proposals.
The nation’s development has had a dual effect on poverty: first, it has reduced the percentage of the population lacking access to a minimum standard of living; however, this remaining segment constitutes a more entrenched core, rendering policy implementation increasingly complex. Consequently, the study of poverty is not only a matter of profound social relevance but also a formidable challenge. The Department of Economics focuses not only on access to baseline well-being, but also maintains a steadfast commitment to analyzing income distribution and the persistent distributive inequality in Chile
Factor markets, and the labor market in particular, represent critical focal points of academic inquiry, both due to their significance as engines of economic growth and because they directly impact individuals and their development. The Department of Economics at the Universidad de Chile has a long-standing tradition of labor market analysis and contributed for over 50 years to the generation of primary empirical data through the Employment Survey conducted by its Microdata Center. Research on the determinants of wages and employment, labor force participation, and comparative gender analyses constitute recurring themes in this domain.
Macroeconomics, through the analysis of aggregate variables, examines the determinants of business cycles and aims to design policies that mitigate economic fluctuations. The roles of monetary and fiscal policy, along with institutional frameworks—such as the autonomy of the Central Bank and the predictability and consistency of its policies—are elements that lie at the core of the research agenda of the Department’s faculty.
Technology remains one of the most critical yet least understood factors of production. The profound externalities associated with knowledge and technological diffusion necessitate active state involvement; consequently, analyzing the institutional framework for specialized development and the impact of productive and technological development policies represent highly salient research avenues. Beyond these areas, the Department of Economics focuses on policy analyses regarding institutional designs that can catalyze a substantial adoption of technology, thereby narrowing the gap between Chile and developed nations.
Economic growth enables nations to expand the availability of goods and services for their populations; thus, investigating the determinants of growth facilitates the formulation of policies that enhance societal well-being. Economic development, however, is a broader paradigm that, beyond mere growth, evaluates how the dividends of such expansion influence other critical dimensions, such as equity and environmental sustainability.
The study of market organization and regulation investigates the conditions that promote or inhibit economic competition, as well as forms of public intervention that optimize resource allocation and enhance consumer welfare. The Department maintains an active research agenda in these domains, while contributing robustly to public debate and policy design.
Economic Theory seeks, derived from foundational hypotheses, to develop abstract models designed to analyze and characterize the behavior of economic agents, as well as the impact of their decisions on diverse economic variables.