Mind the gap: Linking quantitative skill deficits and academic success in Economics and Business degrees — A systematic literature review

Quantitative competencies are essential for the employability and professional development of undergraduate students in Economics and Business as they transition into the labour market. However, recent research highlights significant gaps between students' pre-university quantitative preparation and the level required for successful university-level competency development, which is critical to ensuring the comprehensive acquisition of these skills. This study presents a critical systematic literature review, conducted according to the PRISMA methodology, encompassing 46 peer-reviewed articles that address four research questions that are gaining increasing relevance in the current academic discourse. The findings reveal a significant competency gap among incoming students, particularly those following pre-university pathways recommended by educational institutions. Furthermore, quantitative competencies emerge as a strong predictor of academic performance, not only in quantitative courses but also across the broader curriculum, with cognitive and behavioural-affective variables—such as self-regulation, self-efficacy, and motivation—playing a mediating role. The development of these competencies is enhanced when students engage with well-structured pedagogical environments, including flipped learning and problem-based learning, and when technology is integrated in alignment with sound pedagogical frameworks. The analysis yields avenues for future research, teaching practice and curriculum design, underscoring the need to better align competency transfer between pre-university and higher education stages. • Students enter Economics and Business degrees with low quantitative skills. • Quantitative skills strongly predict academic success in Economics and Business. • Active learning fosters both cognitive and quantitative skill development. • Technology alone does not improve quantitative competencies effectively. • There is a need to redesign pre-university curricula to align to university demands.