Team-based learning and student performance in undergraduate economics: evidence from a quasi-experimental study

This paper examines the effects of Team-Based Learning (TBL) on short – and medium-term academic outcomes in undergraduate economics. We study the introduction of TBL at a large Italian public university, where one undergraduate economics programme adopted TBL in a core second-year course while a parallel programme maintained traditional instruction throughout. Using administrative records tracking students’ academic trajectories from 2009 to 2026, we estimate a difference-in-differences model and find that exposure to TBL improves both academic performance and academic progression. Students exposed to TBL accumulate more second-year ECTS credits and achieve higher average exam grades, with positive effects persisting over time and extending to degree attainment. Effects vary across levels of initial academic preparedness, while students exposed to TBL complete examinations earlier in their academic trajectories.