Department of Economics

About

The TSE Economics Department: A Leading Hub for Research and Education

The TSE (Toulouse School of Economics) Economics Department traces its origins to the early 1980s when Jean-Jacques Laffont chose Toulouse as the foundation for a groundbreaking research group in economics. His vision was to assemble a team of leading international scholars, united by a shared commitment to scientific excellence and a European perspective. Over the past 40 years, under the leadership of 2014 Nobel Prize laureate Jean Tirole, the TSE economics department has become one of Europe’s foremost economics centers. It consistently ranks among the top three recipients of prestigious European Research Council (ERC) grants in economics. Globally, TSE is ranked 8th in economics by RePEc and 16th in the Shanghai Rankings.

Beyond its research achievements, TSE economics department is dedicated to shaping the next generation of economists. Offering programs ranging from undergraduate to doctoral studies, it equips its 2,000 students with a rigorous scientific approach rooted in theoretical analysis, empirical observation, experimentation, statistics, and advanced quantitative methods. TSE economics department thrives in a diverse and international academic environment: over 30% of its faculty come from abroad, 45% of its students are international, and the campus is home to individuals from more than 90 nationalities. This multicultural setting fosters exceptional opportunities for study and research.

On January 1, 2023, TSE became an independent public institution of higher education and research (Établissement Public à Caractère Scientifique, Culturel et Professionnel - EPSCP), classified as a "Grand Établissement" (GE). The establishment of the TSE Economics Department is a cornerstone of this transformation, marking the evolution of TSE from a unit within the University of Toulouse 1 Capitole to an autonomous institution.