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Through surveys of chief economists and graduates from three universities, this study identifies the most important skills for the job performance of Colombian economists. Consistently, according to both the supervisors and the graduates, the most important skills are not advanced disciplinary knowledge, but rather interpersonal skills, communication skills, understanding of the legal, political, and institutional context, basic economics knowledge and skills, and certain aspects of data management. On this basis, possibilities for reform of Economics programs are discussed.

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