Transfer of economics education from theory to practice: The analysis of Türkiye

As a social science, economics is not limited to social sciences alone; it has connections with a wide range of disciplines. The relationship between economics and other sciences provides benefits to both the field of economics and economics education as long as it remains instrumental. However, this relationship tends to shift following economic crises or paradigm changes. The relationship between economics and other sciences—especially between economics and mathematics— has sometimes been criticized in terms of the means-end debate. The increasing relationship between economics and natural sciences, along with various assumptions of mainstream economics, has led to a greater emphasis on theoretical knowledge, distancing economics from real-life applications. This trend has also affected economics education, as topics related to practice, analysis, and real-world applications are frequently discussed in university economics programs.From the perspective of both economics as a science and economics education, issues such as the discipline's detachment from real life, the emphasis on theory over practice and analysis, the controversial assumptions of mainstream economics, and how to enhance the quality of economics emerge as significant topics of discussion.This study investigates the views of economics academics in Türkiye through a research design developed based on the relevant literature on economics as a discipline and as an educational field. Using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), the study examines whether Turkish economics academics differ based on demographic characteristics, including gender, completion of any stage of education abroad, highest level of education attained, undergraduate field of study, academic title, and the institution they work for. The findings indicate significant differences in these factors. Additionally, content analyses of interviews conducted with economics academics, private sector representatives, and program accreditation authorities were carried out, revealing the general tendencies of the participants. Keywords: Economics Education, Mainstream Economics, Neoclassical Economics, Economics Academics, Field Research