Abstract
Econometrics was slow to be adopted in Australian universities but by the end of the century the output of Australian econometricians was ranked in the top five in the world. This paper documents the uneven development in research and teaching in the discipline over the period from 1930 to 2000 and examines the factors responsible for progress. The major contributions of Australians to the international literature are discussed.
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to the following for providing information and commenting on drafts: Ken Clements, Robert Dixon, Guido Erreygers, Denzil Fiebig, Vince FitzGerald, John Freebairn, Bill Griffiths, Bill Norton, Adrian Pagan, Alan Powell, Chris Skeels, Alan Woodland and a referee. Interpretations and errors owe to me.
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Ross Williams
Ross Williams is an Emeritus Professor at the University of Melbourne with research interests in the historical development of economics/econometrics in Australian universities and in the evaluation of national systems of higher education.