The Vice Rector for Academic Planning and Faculty of the European University of the Atlantic (UNEATLANTICO), Silvia Aparicio, stressed the vital importance of economists in the current context during her speech at the 43rd Spanish Conference of Deans of Economics and Business (CONFEDE) and the First Ibero-American Council of Deans of Economic and Business Sciences of Universities (CONIDECE), which were held jointly at the University of Malaga.
In his speech, Aparicio defended that the economics profession is crucial to maximize resources and promote the development and progress of countries. “Economists are the architects of policies that seek to optimize the use of available resources, both at the public and private levels, to ensure sustainable and equitable growth,” said Aparicio.
CONFEDE is made up of the deans of the 85 Faculties of Economics and Business of public and private universities in Spain. CONIDECE is an alliance of the Deans of the Faculties of Economics and Business of Spain and Latin America, with representatives from Mexico, Uruguay, Argentina, Panama, Chile, Dominican Republic and Colombia.
The meeting brought together leading academics and professionals in the economic field.
Daniel Lacalle, who highlighted the growing importance of the economics profession in his talk “The economics profession. Increasingly important”. In the afternoon, a round table on “Financial Education and CONFEDE” was held, with representatives of the Bank of Spain, the CNMV and the EDUFINET project, who discussed the relevance of financial education in the training of economists.
The day also included the conference “Professional profiles and the future of the profession”, with the participation of Valentín Pich, President of the General Council of Economists; Amelia Pérez, Dean of the Madrid Association of Economists; and Manuel Méndez, Dean of the Malaga Association of Economists. This conference addressed the changes and future challenges in the professional field of economists, highlighting the need to adapt to new market demands and emerging competencies.
The session of the Ibero-American Council of Deans of Economics and Business (CONIDECE), with Ricardo Pahlen, President of CONIDECE and Dean of Buenos Aires, and Eugenio Luque, President of CONFEDE, addressed issues such as the International Chair CONIDECE and the venue of the 2025 plenary meeting.
The day culminated with the elections for the new CONFEDE Presidency, resulting in the election of Raul Ruiz, Dean of the University of Alicante, followed by the official closing of the event.
Aparicio concluded his speech by stressing the need to continue strengthening the training of future economists, adapting it to the new demands of the global market and promoting a comprehensive vision that includes not only financial aspects, but also ethical and social ones. “Our mission is to train professionals who not only understand the economy, but also know how to use it as a tool for the common good,” he said.
The event, which has been a crucial meeting point for deans from all over Ibero-America, continues to consolidate the central role of economic education in the transformation and improvement of contemporary societies.
It is worth mentioning the important participation of the Vice Rector of Academic Planning and Teaching Staff of UNEATLANTICO in this edition of CONFEDE, as well as in the Conference held in Ourense last November or the one held at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya in June 2023.
confede-three Aparicio with Valentin Pich, president of the General Council of Economists; and Amelia Perez, dean of the Economists Association of Madrid.confede-one Members of the board of CONFEDE with Ricardo Pahlen, president of CONIDECE.