What Can You Do With a Master’s in Economics?
The big divide: Academia or Industry? The options for career paths after the master's can be divided in two arenas: roles within academia, and roles in industry or the public sector. There are advantages and disadvantages of each – in industry, for example, the pay tends to be better, whilst jobs in academia are more focused on pure research. But what is the typical divide between these two options among those who have completed a master's in economics? As a case study, we can look at the data from the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics, who released a report on the destination jobs of their economics master's class of 2015. They found that 72% of graduates who had been placed entered or returned to jobs in industry, while 28% of graduates entered a PhD or other post-graduate program. Academic positions for economics graduates Compared to the data from last year (the Barcelona GSE class of 2014), there are more graduates entering industry – last year 68% went into industry, and 32% pursued further study. Generally, in tough economic times, graduates can feel attracted by the security and solid pay of industry jobs, while being put off by the insecurity of academic careers. One interesting finding, however, points to the successful path to a PhD – of those moving into doctoral programs, around half of Barcelona 2015 graduates went into international programs, in the United States, the United Kingdom, or other international institutions. The ability and willingness to move to a new location can help graduates to find PhD positions in highly regarded institutions. You can see more about the career prospects of PhDs, including the average salary for PhD students in various locations around the world, in our INOMICS 2015 Salary Report. Where Class of 2015 grads are pursuing doctoral study 24 graduates joined one of two PhDs organized with Barcelona GSE Graduate Programme in Economics, Finance, and Management - GPEFM (UPF and BGSE) International Doctorate in Economic Analysis - IDEA (UAB and BGSE) 5 graduates joined programs at universities in the United States Columbia University Indiana University Stanford University University of Rochester University of Virginia 4 graduates joined programs in the United Kingdom London School of Economics University of Leeds University of Leicester University of Warwick 12 graduates joined programs at other institutions around the world such as: Ifo Institute for Economic Research Sao Paulo School of Economics (FGV) Singapore Management University University of Zurich Credit: Barcelona GSE Industry positions for economics graduates For those economics master's graduates who choose to go into industry or the public sector, what kinds of institutions do they end up working in? Two of the most popular employers, according to the Barcelona GSE survey, are consulting firms and the financial services industry. Around a quarter of graduates end up in each of these industries (26% in consulting firms and 25% in financial services; up from 21% in consulting firms and 23% in financial services last year). A further 19% of graduates took up non-PhD jobs in research or academic institutions – in roles like research assistant or data scientist. Other options for the employment of economics graduates were working for the government or public sector (9% of this years' graduates), international organisations and non-profits (10%), and other industries like the media or aviation (11%). Notably, there was a large drop in the number of graduates entering roles in international organisations and non-profits, down from 18% last year. Jobs in non-profits can be both very competitive and poorly paid, so some graduates will be put off from entering such roles, especially in times of economic recession. Professional placements by industry Examples of employers hiring Barcelona GSE graduates in the Class of 2015 Most common job titles were: Research Assistant, Trainee, Analyst, Consultant, Associate, and Data Scientist. Credit: Barcelona GSE Some of the top locations for employment were Brussels, Madrid, Berlin, and Washington, DC, in addition to Barcelona, once again showing the value of graduates being willing to move to a new location after completing their master's degree. We hope that this information has helped you see some of the career options which are open to you if you pursue a master's degree in economics!
If you're thinking about doing a master's degree in economics, or you're already studying for one, then you're sure to be interested in the job prospects for economics students. What kind of job can you get with a master's in economics, and in what kind of organisations do graduates end up working? We covered this issue last year, but now we've got new data on the employment of economics students for this year, so we're sharing an updated perspective. Read on to find out more about the kinds of careers which are open to those who have studied a master's in economics.
Tips on How to Write an Academic Peer Review for Journals
Get a feel for the field If you've been asked to perform a peer review, hopefully it is in a field that you are familiar with. However, the paper you are reviewing may be in a different sub-field or use different methods to the ones you that work with. So be prepared to do some research around the topic of the paper, so that you can understand how it fits into the broader literature. If there's an important paper in the field which is not mentioned in the paper, you can suggest that the authors include this reference. Or if a similar issue has been researched in earlier years, you can suggest that the authors mention this previous debate. Make sure you're comfortable with your knowledge of the topic before you start your review. Check statistical methods, tables, and graphs One of the most important functions of peer review is checking over the data in the paper – in terms of both how it is analysed and how it is presented. Make sure that you understand the statistical tests which are used, and consider if they are the best ways to test the hypothesis of the paper. If important data is missing, such as effect sizes, then suggest that this is added in. Also carefully check graphs and tables to make sure that they are correctly labelled and that they are in accordance with the way that the authors have described their data. Are the inferences drawn by the authors in the discussion reasonable, given the data? Check references Another important task for peer reviewers is the checking of references. This is something which general readers are unlikely to do, so it's especially important for reviewers to pay attention to. When you see the authors assert a fact and back it up with a reference, go and find the paper being referenced and check whether the authors' summation of it is reasonable. This is also a good time to check whether the references are complete and formatted correctly. Make your feedback specific and constructive The best peer reviews are not combative towards the authors, but rather constructive. They provide helpful information on how to make the paper better. The key to helpful feedback is to give specific, actionable suggestion for improvements. So, for a reviewer to say “I find this argument unconvincing” is not very helpful. But a reviewer who writes that “This argument is unconvincing because it does not address this specific important issue, and it would be better to refer to this debate in this context” is much better. Where possible, don't just point out problems with the paper, but also suggest ways in which the paper could be improved. Follow instructions, and submit on time Peer reviewing is one of those tasks which everyone agrees is very important, but often gets shoved aside when people are busy. Do read all of the instructions which the editor sends you, and take particular note of the due dates. Returning your reviews on time will be greatly appreciated by the editors and authors and marks you out as a professional. Also, remember to be considerate about confidentiality. You shouldn't discuss the contents of a manuscript or your review of it with anyone outside of the editorial process. And you should not use the ideas in the work you are reviewing in your own papers until the reviewed paper is published. Be aware of your own biases Naturally, you'll approach a peer review with your own opinions and perspective, based on your expertise in the field. But you should try to remain as objective as you can when reviewing. Don't reject a paper just because it uses a different method or has a different view from yours, and certainly don't let your personal feelings about the authors cloud your judgement. Be aware of your own biases and try to overcome them to review the work fairly.
Peer review is one of the cornerstones of academic progress, and it's vital that papers are reviewed by a knowledgeable party before they are published, in order to maintain quality. You see lots of advice for authors of papers, but rather less for peer reviewers. If you've been asked to review a paper, here are some tips on how to do a great job and to provide a review which is helpful to the editors and authors.
5 Apps That Every Professor Needs to Know
1. Keynote (iPhone/iPad) For putting together slide shows, either for lectures or for presentations at conferences, Keynote is a favourite program among professors. This app lets you create, design, edit, and present slide shows, all from your mobile device. The primary advantages of Keynote over other slide show apps is that the themes are more stylish than others, and that the presentation mode allows you to present your slides on a large screen, while you see your notes and a timer on your mobile screen. Plus, the app is designed for a touch interface, so it's easy to use and you can drag and drop the items to where you need them. If you have an Apple device, this app should be your first choice for presenting. 2. Skype (iPhone/iPad, Android, Windows Phone) It's becoming increasingly common in academia to use video chat programs for collaborating with foreign researchers or for interviewing job candidates. While not the same as an in-person meeting, video chats allow you to converse with other academics instantly, even over great distances, to get feedback on your projects or to get to know them better. Whilst some people do use programs like Apple's FaceTime, by far the most popular choice of app is Skype. It's free, fairly stable, and easy to use. If you're involved in the hiring process at your university, or if you're hunting for a new job, you'll definitely need this app. 3. LastPass (iPhone/iPad, Android, Windows Phone) Security is a real concern for anyone who regularly uses electronic devices and services, but this is especially true for professors who might have proprietary or confidential information stored on their devices. One of the biggest security flaws that makes most users vulnerable is the habit of re-using passwords on multiple sites and devices, so if someone obtains your password for one site, they can potentially access all of your confidential information. But it's also hard to remember hundreds of different passwords. The way around this is to use a password manager like LastPass, which will generate, store, and fill in unique passwords for all the websites you use regularly. Keep your data secure and know that you'll never lose an important password again with this app. 4. Chrome Remote Desktop (iPhone/iPad, Android, Windows Phone) You're travelling to a conference, or you're at your desk at work, when you realise that you've left a vital document on your home computer and you need to access it now. In this situation, it's incredibly useful to be able to access your home computer from your phone. Generally, this would be achieved by setting up a VPN (virtual private network) which lets you tunnel in to your computer from a remote location. However, this is rather technically challenging to set up, and usually incurs some costs. Non-technical professors can get a simplified version of this service by using Chrome Remote Desktop, which is easy to use and also free. Once you've set it up, you can use your phone to browse your computer and read any important notes, or to email your files to yourself, which is invaluable in an emergency. 5. Ustream (iPhone/iPad, Android) With lots of classes now being streamed online for distance learners, it's common to see recording equipment in the lecture hall. Some universities have large specialist departments for technical support and online learning technology, but others are just starting to embrace the possibilities of online learning. If you work in a university which does not have much technological support available, you can still set up your own streams of your lectures, even if you are not very technically knowledgeable. The Ustream app makes it easy to create live online streams from the camera on your smartphone, or to upload previously recorded video files taken on your phone. You can even chat with your audience while streaming, so you can engage with distance learners directly. These apps can help to enrich the learning experiences of your students, to connect with colleagues abroad, and to make your life easier.
There are lots of technological tools available to help support professors in their teaching, research, and administration. But these tools aren't just for your home computer – there are lots of apps for mobile devices which can be useful in university life too. We've covered top apps for students before, and today we're listing some of the best mobile apps for professors.
Unique alternatives to PowerPoint for your presentations
Prezi If you're bored of typical slides and are looking for a more interactive way to present visual information, then you could use Prezi. Prezi dispenses with slides and instead lays out all your information in one large map. When you are presenting, you can select a particular area of the map to focus on, like a traditional slide, but moving between topics you can also see how this information fits into the map of other concepts. It's perfect for information which is not too text-heavy, and emphasises the relationships between content rather than giving a lot of detailed text. This means it forces you into good habits – no one wants to read a wall of text while you're presenting! So it's best to work with a few keywords or visual symbols to remind your audience of the main points of your argument, while you give the detailed information orally. If you can get out of your bad PowerPoint habits, then using a tool like Prezi can make you a better presenter – especially if you work in a highly conceptual field like philosophy. However, a note of warning: Prezi includes the ability to zoom in and out of sections and to pan quickly across your presentation. Use this feature with caution! If the movement is too fast or you use it to much, it can be disorientating for your audience or even make them feel nauseous. When it comes to special effects like zooming and panning, remember that less is more. Google Slides If you want to stick with a familiar PowerPoint-like interface, but are in need of better collaboration features than are available for Microsoft Office, then you should consider Google Slides. It's idea for when you have a presentation that you're giving together with a colleague, and you need to collaborate on the slides. As it works together with Google Docs and Google Drive, you can easily share the presentation as you are working on it, and it'll be easy for your co-workers to access and edit. You can even use the chat feature within the slides interface while you're editing, allowing you to discuss changes as you make them in real-time. Slide Rocket If you're including very new data in your presentation and you're looking to stay up-to-date, then you should consider Slide Rocket. Whilst most presentations are designed to be static and unchanging – and therefore quickly out of date – Slide Rocket makes dynamic presentations. You can embed live data in your slides, from Google spreadsheets, Twitter feeds, or Yahoo! Finance stock quotes, meaning that your information will atomically be up to date whenever someone views your presentation. This makes it ideal for a presentation which you're sharing via email, rather than giving in person. With recent scandals in science about fabricated data, it's become increasingly important for researchers to be transparent about the state of their raw data, and the data analysis which was performed on it. Slide Rocket can help with this by giving your audience live access to your data, which they can view but not edit. If your presentations are data-heavy, and you may not be giving them in person, then Slide Rocket can meet your needs. Beamer If you use LaTeX for your word processing, then you may be interested in Beamer for your presentations. Like LaTeX, Beamer differentiates content from styling using a custom markup language. That means that it doesn't have a graphical user interface (GUI), instead, you use markup to set the styling which you would like to use. If you don't have experience with this kind of markup, it can feel complicated and overly technical, but if you understand the principle and you're already familiar with LaTeX then it's easy to use. The advantage of this method is that it allows you to tweak every single aspect of how your slides are presented, to your personal requirements. It's ideal for scientists, mathematicians, or other technical folks. With these unique alternatives to PowerPoint your presentation can really stand out from the croud. For more tips on presenting and other advice for academics, see our website.
When you're presenting your work to an academic audience, you want to make sure that your talk is as exciting and engaging as possible. One way to do this is to work on your slides; using something more interesting and original than standard PowerPoint. Today we're recommending some of the best alternatives to PowerPoint to make your presentation truly unique.
Get started early It's important to get started early. The best internships get snapped up quickly, and generally speaking, the larger and higher-profile the company, the earlier they start looking for interns. So start looking out for companies where you could do your internship as soon as possible. Where to find an internship: at your university Credit: COD Newsroom Your university will almost certainly have resources to help you find an internship which you should take advantage of. Start at your university's careers office, and see if they have a job listing website that you can check. Often, university careers departments will be in touch with local employers and have listings for internship possibilities before anyone else. Another great resource is the network of alumni from your university. See if you can find an alumni network or mailing list, and look for anyone working in your field. If you contact an alumni and mention that you are attending their former university, they can be more inclined to help you find an opportunity. Also, find out if your university is running a careers fair or internship fair. These events give you the chance to speak to representatives of large numbers of companies who are looking for students to recruit, for internships and/or jobs. Be prepared for these events to be busy and somewhat overwhelming, so make sure you're organised in order to make the most of them. Take notes about everyone you speak to, and remember to get business cards or contact information from the representatives so that you can get in touch with them later. Where to find an internship: online Of course, there are many companies who advertise for internship positions online, and there are a number of websites which have listings of internships which you can peruse. Here at INOMICS.com we share the latest internship opportunities on our job listings pages. You can also look on sites which specialise in internship listings, such as internships.com or internmatch.com, or on general job sites like indeed.com. Or if you are looking for an internship in a non-profit organisation specifically, you can try idealist.org, which connects those looking to volunteer or work in the non-profit sector with the companies that suit their profile. Also, don't forget to look on other business networking sites if you use them, such as LinkedIn or Glassdoor. Contacting employers directly Finally, don't forget that you aren't limited to only those internships which are listed in adverts. If there is a business or organisation which you are really keen on interning at, you can always contact them directly. Try to find the contact details of their hiring manager, or personnel manager if they have one. Then email them with a brief bit of information about yourself and let them know you're interested in interning. Make sure you tell them what skills you have to offer, what kind of work you'd be able to do, and what time frame you'd be working in, and attach your CV. You might just be able to land your ideal internship! Good luck with your search for an internship for 2016! Header photo credit: Juhan Sonin
An internship can be a great opportunity for you to get experience in the working world and to learn the skills you'll need in order to find a job once you graduate. But with so many students looking for internship opportunities, there can be fierce competition for the best internships and it can be hard to find the right setting for you. You want to make sure that the internship you choose gives you useful real-world training and the chance to get to know people working in your field and to network with prospective employers. A good internship can go a long way to selling your CV to employers once you have graduated and started job hunting. Internships are clearly important, but how can you find the one which is right for you? Today we're discussing how to find the internship you want for 2016.
Livemocha Livemocha is a site which specialises in connecting native speakers of different languages, so that you can learn directly from someone who has a native understanding of the language you wish to learn. If you enjoy a more personal and friendly approach to learning than a standardised list of terms to learn, then Livemocha might be for you. The structured program includes elements of reading, writing, speaking, and listening, which you practise alone first and then with others. You can even book a private tutor if you need extra support. Although some services are paid, you can earn credits for the site by tutoring others in your native language. This can bring an unexpected advantage – there's no better way to understand your own learning needs than to experience teaching others. BBC Languages The languages website offered by the BBC (the public-service broadcaster of the United Kingdom) offers a huge amount of free information on over 40 languages, including English. The site focuses on helpful factual information rather than flashy imagery, with a no-frills approach to sharing the basics. The strength of the site is in the lessons offered on learning a specific language – choosing from French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Portuguese, or Greek – which are comprehensive and easy to follow. The site also offers pages aimed at children who are learning a language for fun or for a school test, which is great if you have a family and would like to learn together with them. Duolingo & Memrise We already discussed Duolingo and Memrise in our Top Apps for Learning a Language post, but it's worth noting that both companies have a free to use website as well as their mobile apps. You can practise your reading, writing and listening, and if you have a microphone plugged into your computer you can even practise your speaking and pronunciation too. Duolingo is great for those learners who like to pick up a little bit of information at a time, fitting their learning in around other commitments. Memrise is perfect for visual learners, who find images and visual representations to be helpful in remembering difficult foreign words. Google Translate Whilst many people use Google Translate for quick translations of online texts, not everyone realises how many features it offers which can be helpful for learning a language. One such feature is that you can click any word to see not only the word which it is translated to, but also to see alternative translations, which is helpful when you're trying to understand the nuances of an unfamiliar word. There is a also a listen function which will read the translation out loud to you, so you can get used to the sound of the words. You can also offer your own suggestions for how to improve specific translations; so if you disagree with the translation given you can put forward your own improvements. Busuu Busuu is another website which specialises in connecting learners with native speakers. With over 40 million registered users, it is one of the largest online language-learning communities, so you are sure to find someone who has extensive knowledge of the language which you want to learn. Basic learning takes the form of flashcard exercises to get you familiar with the essential vocabulary of a language. But the more advanced learning is based on assistance from other users, who generate and review the teaching content. The advantage of this approach is that you learn the language as it is used by real-world people in real situations, and you can gain confidence for using the language for your everyday needs.
When you're looking to learn a new language, there are all sorts of websites which can help support your learning. Some have lists of vocabulary, interactive games, or practise scenarios which you can work on. Others can use your computer's speakers and microphone to help you with your listening and speaking. Below we're listing some of the most useful websites for learning a language.
15 Must-Attend Conferences and Workshops 2015/2016: Social Sciences
If you have already chosen a great conference to attend, make sure you also take part in the INOMICS Conference Grant Contest. Just tell us why you want to participate in the event of your choice and why you should receive a €500 grant, with the help of which you can cover your registration, travel or accommodation costs. Here are some of our top picks for events taking place between November 2015 and April 2016 (in chronological order): November The 2nd International Conference on Forecasting Economic and Financial Systems Location: Beijing, China Organizer: Chinese Academy of Sciences Conference Dates: Oct 30, 2015 to Nov 1, 2015 This conference aims to provide an excellent forum for sharing new developments in theories, methodologies and applications of forecasting complex economic and financial systems. The organizers look for significant contributions to all major fields related to economic and financial forecasting. The event will provide both researchers and practitioners a platform to meet and share cutting-edge development in the field. December XIV “Brucchi Luchino” Labour Economics Workshop Location: Bergamo, Italy Organizer: University of Bergamo Conference Dates: Dec 14, 2015 to Dec 15, 2015 The workshop is an opportunity to bring together young and senior labour economists to present their ongoing research. The programme will include 10-12 presentations, two poster sessions and a keynote lecture. This year keynote speaker is Francis Kramarz (CREST, ENSAE and CEPR). VIII Italian Doctoral Workshop in Empirical Economics Location: Moncalieri, Italy Organizer: Carlo Alberto College Conference Dates: Dec 17, 2015 to Dec 18, 2015 The aim of the workshop is to offer a stimulating environment where PhD students can present their papers and receive feedback and useful comments. Each paper will be discussed by a professor from the Faculty of Collegio Carlo Alberto and University of Turin. The submissions of papers on the following areas of research are particularly encouraged: Labour Economics, Household Economics, Health Economics, Crime Economics, Political Economics, and Industrial Organization. Fourth Conference on Household Finance and Consumption Location: Frankfurt, Germany Organizer: European Central Bank Conference Dates: Dec 17, 2015 to Dec 18, 2015 The objective of the conference is to present research on household asset accumulation, debt, and consumption/saving behaviour over the life cycle. The focus of the conference is on research that makes use of household survey data, with some preference for cross-country comparative analysis and for papers making use of the HFCS data. Conference on “Financial Stability and Housing in China” Location: Shenzhen, China Organizer: International Monetary Fund Conference Dates: Dec 18, 2015 to Dec 19, 2015 This conference will feature sessions on the topics such as housing, municipal debt, shadow banking, or stock markets. The organizers welcome papers on any of these topics (or closely related ones) for inclusion in the program. In addition, they are looking for participants for roundtable discussions following each session. January ICCM 2016 Abu Dhabi Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE Conference Dates: Jan 12, 2016 to Jan 13, 2016 The International Conference on Commodity Markets aims to assess and communicate the latest work of economists in energy and commodity markets. As well as being relevant and interesting for academics, the conference also aims to share the fruits of this work with industry professionals, from both energy and finance related companies. It is hoped that meetings between academics and business people will prove particularly beneficial. Furthermore, communication of conference themes to the public is achieved through a panel discussion and the presence of the media. Business in a Dynamic World Location: Agios Tychonas, Cyprus Organizer: London South Bank University Conference Dates: Jan 15, 2016 to Jan 17, 2016 These are challenging times for those who need to understand and advise on business and economic processes within the international economy, post-recession. This conference is for distinguished researchers and academics to present their latest research findings and have their papers published in peer reviewed journals post-conference. With a line-up of internationally recognised guest speakers, the conference is an opportunity to explore in-depth the realities of business in a fast changing world. February EconWorld2016@Barcelona Location: Barcelona, Spain Organizer: World Economic Research Institute (WERI), Socio-Economic Research Institute of Piemonte (IRES) & Faculty of Economics of Ostrava Technical University Conference Dates: Feb 1, 2016 to Feb 3, 2016 The conference program includes plenary sessions, panels, and presentations of contributed papers. The event is open to all line of theoretical and empirical research in economics, finance and entrepreneurship. It aims at bringing together scholars from all over the world for exchange of ideas, discussion of recent results within theoretical and applied research, and creating a research network for future joint collaborations. IISES 21st International Academic Conference Location: Miami, United States Organizer: The International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences (IISES) Conference Dates: Feb 9, 2016 to Feb 12, 2016 The event welcomes scholars, researchers, as well as corporation and government executives. One can present your research work or just attend. The International Academic Conference is amultidisciplinary conference with the topics on Business and Economics, Quantitative Methods, Social Sciences and Humanities, Teaching and Education, and many more. Young Swiss Economists Meeting 2016 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Organizer: KOF Swiss Economic Institute at ETH Zurich Conference Dates: Feb 11, 2016 to Feb 12, 2016 The upcoming annual YSEM2016 invites PhD students and those who have recently received their PhD with a strong link to Switzerland to submit a paper to be presented at this workshop. Papers can be in any field of economics or related social sciences. The program com-mittee will consider both finished papers and promising work in progress (extended abstracts). March envecon 2016 - Call for Abstracts Location: London, United Kingdom Organizer: UK Network of Environmental Economists (UKNEE) Conference Date: Mar 18, 2016 This one-day conference, now in its 14th year, brings together environmental economists from public and private sectors, academia and consultancy to share results of recent research and to discuss issues relevant to the practical application of environmental economics in the UK, Europe and elsewhere. Papers that have policy relevance and have been used in decision-making by the public and/or private sectors will be of particular interest. International Conference on Occupations, Skills, and the Labor Market Location: Mannheim, Germany Organizer: Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) Conference Dates: Mar 18, 2016 to Mar 19, 2016 The conference focuses on occupations and skills in industrialized countries and on the ways these interact with employment, wages, participation in the labor market, and social inequality. The organizers invite empirical and theoretical contributions on this topic from all areas of economics, personnel economics, and sociology. The 4th International Symposium on Energy and Finance Issues (ISEFI-2016) Location: Paris, France Organizers: IPAG Business School & Centre of Geopolitics of Energy and Raw Materials Conference Dates: Mar 24, 2016 to Mar 25, 2016 ISEFI-2016 aims to provide academics, policymakers, and practitioners with a valuable forum for discussion and critical analysis of the major issues and challenges that interrelate energy and financial markets. The general theme of the 2016 Symposium is “Energy Price Fluctuations in an Uncertain Global Economy”. The conference organizers invite the submission of both theoretical and empirical papers relating to all aspects of energy markets and their interactions with financial markets. 5th PhD Student Conference in International Macroeconomics and Financial Econometrics Location: Paris, France Organizers: EconomiX-CNRS and the Doctoral School EOS of the Université Paris Ouest - Nanterre La Défense, the CeReFiM from the University of Namur, the CESAM from the Université Catholique de Louvain-Louvain School of Management and the LEO from the Université d'Orléans Conference Date: Mar 25, 2016 The program of the conference will include several sessions covering the main areas of International Macroeconomics and Financial Econometrics. Anyone wishing to present a paper needs to submit it to a specific session. April Scottish Economic Society Annual Conference 2016 Location: Perth, United Kingdom Organizer: Scottish Economic Society Conference Dates: Apr 18, 2016 to Apr 20, 2016 The Society invites submissions of papers and proposals for organised sessions from all areas of Economics, Economic Policy, and Econometrics from academics, postgraduate students, and practitioners in government, local authorities, non-departmental public bodies, private sector and charitable organisations. The organizer places particular emphasis on the application of economics to policy. There will be invited sessions in separate policy and pedagogy streams and sessions specifically designed to support PhD students and young lecturers. The key note President’s Lecture will be given by Professor Sir Christopher Pissarides from London School of Economics. We hope this list will help you choose a great event. You can find more social sciences and economics related events on INOMICS here and don’t forget to take part in our Contest here to earn your chance to win a €500 Conference Grant to help cover your costs.
With the summer behind us (at least for those in the northern hemisphere), now is the best time to start planning your academic calendar for the coming year. However, the number of conferences and workshops taking place in the next twelve months is enormous and may be overwhelming when it comes to choosing the best one(s) for you. In order to help you with this endeavour, we have put together a selection of conferences and workshops organized by national and international organizations, covering a wide range of topics in social sciences.
For-profit universities: How to avoid "diploma mill" institutions
One of the most obvious changes to the industry is the growth of the for-profit university, and academics around the world are considering how this change affects both their jobs, and the future of the education sector. What are for-profit universities? Over the last few years, debate has intensified over the role of for-profit institutions in the higher education system. Even as tuition fees rise in the US and elsewhere, more and more people want to become students, especially in this time of economic instability. Investing in education has traditionally been considered a wise and prudent move; as a higher education degree marks out an individual as highly qualified and capable, it is greatly beneficial to their career prospects. However, with tuition fees becoming so expensive that students have to take out huge loans which they may never be able to pay back, some people argue that certain degrees are just not worth the money which students must spend in order to obtain them. This is particularly relevant in the case of for-profit institutions, which charge even higher tuition fees than non-profit institutions. Some for-profit universities also have a reputation for unsavoury recruiting practises, in which recruiters focus on military veterans, single mothers, and on individuals with low incomes and not much experience in education, then pursue them aggressively. There are also claims that recruiters deliberately mislead recruits by sharing inaccurate job-placement statistics, giving false information about loans and putting unreasonable pressure on potential students. What's the problem with for-profit universities? Aside from the issues of tuition fees and recruitment practises, it seems like universities could in theory be run like any other business; they provide a product which consumers want and are willing to pay for. However, a further issue arises with the issue of assessment of students. Students are paying large amounts of money to attend for-profit universities, and so it is in the interest of the universities to keep the students attending. Even if they perform poorly on tests, the universities still benefit from students attending, and some faculty report being put under pressure to pass all students. This has leads to a situation in which for-profit institutions rarely fail students, even if they perform poorly. Hence there is a lack of trust in for-profit universities among people doing hiring for many jobs: a student may have worked hard and been very successful at such an institution, but it is not possible to tell this candidate apart from a student who performed poorly but was passed anyway. Some HR professionals even advise that candidates who have attended such an institution should leave it off their CVS, arguing that a degree from such an ill-regarded university looks worse than no degree at all. There are problems for the faculty of such institutions too; among teachers and lecturers, some feel that they are taken advantage of and are not free to give honest feedback to their students. How can you avoid these institutions? Whether you are a student, a lecturer, or a full professor, you should be wary of for-profit universities and read up on them thoroughly before committing to attend or to work at such an institution. A quick search on Wikipedia should show whether the institution is for-profit or non-profit. You should then look for accurate information about the price of tuition, the pass/fail rate for students, and particularly important, the percentage of graduated students who have acquired a job in a relevant field after graduating. You can also check online reviews to see what comments students have about their experiences at the institution. We hope that this information helps you to consider your options should you come into contact with for-profit universities. For more news and opinions about developments in academia, check out our website.
As an academic, you may feel somewhat insulated from the profit-driven business world. Certainly, academia has traditionally been regarded as an enclave separated from corporate concerns over profits; one which is supported by governments and individuals and focuses on teaching and research rather than on making money. However, with the huge growth of the education industry over the last few decades, institutions have necessarily become more corporate.
Dropbox When you have files that you need to access from your home computer, your work computer, and your laptop or smartphone, Dropbox is invaluable. It is a service which syncs your files between as many different machines as you like. One you have installed the program, any changes you make to a file in the specified folder will be reflected at all other locations. This means that your important files are always up to date and always accessible from anywhere. For professors, you can keep all your notes for a class safely and conveniently in one location. And if you need to share files with your class, you can set up a public folder and give your students a web link from which they can download the files they need. Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone, Blackberry, Kindle Fire and Windows Phone from www.dropbox.com Evernote If you have a chaotic note-taking system it can be difficult to find the notes you need when you come back to them at a later time. In order to keep all of your notes organised and categorised, you can use Evernote. This allows you to save text notes, to-do lists, photographs and more to a central scrapbook. You can then tag and organise these notes in a way that suits your working style. Most usefully, all notes are searchable. Even if you like to write your notes by hand, you can photograph the notes using your smartphone camera, and once you upload the photo the text will be searchable. This is greatly beneficial if you're always scribbling down important information and then struggling to find it later. Available for Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone, and Windows Phone from www.evernote.com Google Docs Google Docs allows you to create and edit word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations, through an online interface. Already this is useful if you need to create a document while you are on the go and don't have access to a computer with a full Office suite. Better still, it allows you to share your documents with other users, so that you can both make changes to the document. This makes it an ideal tool for collaboration. If you have a first draft of a paper or a lesson plan, you can share this with a collaborator, and they can add notes or comments and suggest changes. Available for Android, iPhone, and Chrome from www.google.com/docs/about/ Google Calendar Most people already use a calendar app to keep track of their own appointments, but Google Calendar can be useful to share calendars with others. For example, if you are teaching a class together with a colleague, you can share important dates and keep track of the times and locations of your classes together. You can both see the information you need and sync this to your own personal calendar too. Available for Android, iPhone and Chrome from www.google.com/calendar/about/ Kindle The Kindle app is best known as an e-book reader, and it can be useful for reading textbooks or new publications in your field when they are available electronically. But even more useful is another feature which many people are unaware of: you can also use Kindle to read and annotate PDF files. If you're reading a large number of journal articles, you can download them as PDFs from the publishers, then email these files to your Kindle account. From there, you can use the app to read these PDFs, search them, and add notes and comments. If you're travelling and you have papers to read, this is a great way to keep track of your thoughts and ideas as you read them. Available for Kindle, Windows, Mac, Android, and iPhone from www.amazon.com/gp/digital/fiona/kcp-landing-page/ For more tips and the latest news for academics, check out our website.
If you're working as a professor, you likely have a large number of projects on the go and a lot of demands on your time. It can be hard to keep track of everything, but there are tools out there which can help you. If you have a smartphone or tablet, there are some great apps available which can make your work life a little easier:
How To Apply For A PostDoc Grant or Fellowship
What is a postdoc fellowship or grant? A postdoctoral grant or fellowship provides funding for a research project directly to you. The funding will cover your own salary, your research expenses, and possibly salaries for other workers such as PhD students or student assistants to work on your project. The primary advantage of having your own funding is that you can go and work in a group of your choosing. Most departments are very happy to accept a postdoc researcher who brings their own funding, and the department can provide administrative support and working space for your project. A further advantage is that your funding can be transferred with you – if, for example, you have a 5-year grant and you decide to move to a different university after two years, you can generally take the remaining three years of funding to your new department. The ability to attract research funding is also important for hiring decisions at a senior level in academia. If you wish to eventually become a professor, then a strong track record of attracting funding is important. Winning a postdoctoral grant or fellowship is a positive demonstration of your ability to plan for and apply for external funding, and shows that you are capable of not only performing excellent research, but also securing the support of third-party organisations, which is very important to university departments. Setting up a project To begin applying for a fellowship or grant, you must first choose a project idea. Obviously the type of project which is appropriate for a fellowship application varies a lot between academic disciplines. However, there are some commonalities which can help to guide you. Firstly, it is often helpful for your project to be a natural extension of your PhD project. This way, you already have a great deal of knowledge about the topic, and you have already demonstrated the ability to plan and execute a project in this area. If you wish to pursue a project in a new area of research, you'll need to demonstrate to the funding body that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to undertake the research. In either case, remember to be realistic regarding how much you can achieve in the funding period. Most grants or fellowships are for a period of between two and five years of funding, so make sure that your project is achievable in the time available. Next, you need to find collaborators for your project. For the best chances at gaining a fellowship, you should be as ambitious as possible in this! You should identify the world-leading researchers or labs in the area of your project and approach them for collaborations. Most researchers are interested to hear about new ideas in their area, and will be supportive of a project if you can obtain your own funding. Don't just consider researchers working in your own country, but consider international researchers too. Even if you wish to stay within your current country, you can set up international collaborations which can provide valuable insight and knowledge, as well as looking impressive to funding bodies. Reach out to individuals or labs whose work you have been impressed by, give them a brief outline of your project idea and let them know which fellowships or grants you are planning to apply for, and ask if they would be interested in being part of the project. More senior or experienced researchers can offer advice on forming and executing the project, and also on the wording of your funding applications, so do ask for their guidance. Finding a fellowship or grant to apply for Once you've got an idea for your project and have started to consider potential collaborators, you should look for specific fellowships or grants to apply for. There are a wide variety of fellowships and grants available, with different specialities and interests. Foundations and other organisations which offer funding usually have a particular academic, political or social area with which they are especially concerned, and they look for projects which fit well with their interests. So you should consider the unique merits of your proposed research – for example, if it is an interdisciplinary project, you can look for funding from a body who promotes co-operation between academic disciplines. If your project has particular social relevance, or if you yourself are from a particular social group, you may be able to find a funding body which specialises in promoting research about or performed by that social group – for example, there is funding available to support researchers who are of a particular religion or nationality. The closer that your research interests fit to the interests of the funding body, the better your chances of a successful application. Remember that, as well as looking for international collaborators, you should consider applying to international funding bodies. Funding bodies based in foreign countries may offer funding if you wish to undertake part of your research within that country, even if you are of a different nationality. You can maximise your chances of a successful application by searching broadly and applying for funding from both local and international organisations. Applying for a fellowship or grant The first thing to know about applying for a fellowship or grant is that it will take quite some time to apply, and to hear back about whether your application was successful or not. It typically takes several months to develop a project idea and to write it up as an application, and it can take 6 months or more for funding bodies to make a decision. So you should be aware that you need to apply early, and you should have some kind of back-up plan or short-term work that you can rely on while working through the application process. A further important consideration is how many applications you should make. It is not unusual for researchers to write up the same project proposal and send it to a number of different funding bodies. On the one hand, the more applications you send out, the greater your chances of being successful. On the other, each application can be a large amount of work. Also note that some funding bodies require you to disclose whether you have applied with the same project to other funding sources. Once you have selected the foundations or organisations which you wish to apply to, you need to check their requirements carefully. Typically you will need to provide a project description, a letter of motivation, and your CV. Some organisations may request further documents, such as a proposed budget or a lay summary of the project which would be comprehensible to the public. Remember when you are writing these documents that they will be read by non-experts as well as experts, so refrain from using jargon or technical language and try to make your important ideas understandable even to those without expertise in your area. You will also need to provide letter(s) of recommendation from your supervisors or other senior figures in your field, so be sure to give your referees plenty of time to write up a letter and submit it to the funding body. If you have arranged collaborators already, it is advantageous to have them write a letter of recommendation for you too, stating that they have worked on the project ideas with you and would be willing to host you at their university if the funding application is successful. We wish you the best of luck with your postdoctoral career plans!
If you've completed your PhD and are looking for a postdoctoral position, career progression can be intimidating and stressful. To help guide you through this transition, we offer here a guide for finding and applying for postdoctoral funding. Although some departments advertise for postdoc positions involving researching, technical support or teaching which is needed by the group, if your research does not align exactly with the research priorities of a lab it may be hard to find an appropriate position. The best option for many researchers is to apply for a postdoc grant or fellowship.
Conference Round Up – Events in Early 2015
In the list below you will find a range of conferences due to take place between January and March 2015. In the past we’ve also provided you with tips on how to choose the right conference for you and what to wear once you’re there. Furthermore, if you don’t see the perfect event for you in the list below, you can head to INOMICS and do a targeted search to find exactly what you’re looking for. JANUARY 2015 International Business Conference in Maui Jan 4, 2015 to Jan 8, 2015 Maui, United States 11th International Conference Jan 8, 2015 to Jan 11, 2015 Wellington, New Zealand Third Lisbon Research Workshop on Economics, Statistics and Econometrics of Education Jan 23, 2015 to Jan 24, 2015 Lisbon, Portugal AlpPop The Alpine Population Conference Jan 25, 2015 to Jan 28, 2015 Milano, Italy Global Sustainability Institute Research Conference 2015: The Interface between Sustainability Research and Policy Jan 26, 2015 to Jan 27, 2015 Cambridge, United Kingdom The 5th Annual Conference of Economic Forum of Entrepreneurship & International Business Jan 29, 2015 to Jan 30, 2015 Boston, United States Macroprudential regulation: from theory to implementation Jan 29, 2015 to Jan 30, 2015 Amsterdam, Netherlands International Workshop P2P Financial Systems 2015: Opportunities, Risks, Market Dynamics, Regulation Jan 29, 2015 to Jan 30, 2015 Frankfurt am Main, Germany FEBRUARY 4th Research Forum on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) – New perspectives and opportunities for SMEs Feb 9, 2015 to Feb 10, 2015 Chur, Switzerland AETW 2015: Call For Papers Feb 12, 2015 to Feb 13, 2015 Melbourne, Australia Young Swiss Economists Meeting 2015 Feb 13, 2015 to Feb 14, 2015 Zurich, Switzerland 1st PhD Workshop on the Economics of Migration Feb 17, 2015 to Feb 18, 2015 Southampton, United Kingdom International Annual Conference on Leveraging I.T for Digital Age in Developing Economies Feb 19, 2015 to Feb 20, 2015 San Diego, United States The State of the Economy 2015 Feb 24, 2015 London, United Kingdom IECER 2015 – 13th Interdisciplinary European Conference on Entrepreneurial Research Feb 25, 2015 to Feb 27, 2015 Montpellier, France ADRES 2015 – Annual Doctoral Conference of the Association for the Development of Research in Economics and Statistics Feb 27, 2015 to Feb 28, 2015 Paris, France MARCH Progressive Economy Academic Conference – Call for Papers Mar 4, 2015 to Mar 5, 2015 Brussels, Belgium Call for Papers: 79th International Atlantic Economic Society Mar 11, 2015 to Mar 15, 2015 Milan, Italy Envecon 2015 Mar 13, 2015 London, United Kingdom American University in Cairo Annual Research Conference: MENA Region and Post 2015 Development Agenda Mar 16, 2015 to Mar 18, 2015 Cairo, Egypt 4th PhD Student Conference in International Macroeconomics and Financial Econometrics Mar 18, 2015 Nanterre, France 23rd Annual Symposium: Society for Nonlinear Dynamics & Econometrics (SNDE) Mar 19, 2015 to Mar 20, 2015 Oslo, Norway Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty 2015 Mar 23, 2015 to Mar 26, 2015 Washington DC, United States International Interdisciplinary Business-Economics Advancement Conference (IIBA 2015) Mar 28, 2015 to Apr 2, 2015 Sarasota, United States To browse even more conferences around the world, head to INOMICS now. Photo credit: Sebastiaan ter Burg
With the end of the year approaching, we feel it’s time to look to the start of next year and start planning which conferences to attend. The number of events available is overwhelming, so following up on our 2014 End of Year Round Up, we decided to draft a list for the start of 2015.
Top Conferences in Banking, Economics and Finance – 2014 End of Year Round Up
If you are unsure about proper attire for such an event, take a look at our post on what to wear to academic conferences. If you will be presenting, make sure to read through out tips on how to make your presentation a hit with your audience. Although many registration deadlines have already past, it never hurts to get in touch and see if there is still space for a last-minute participant. The list below is organized by date, with upcoming conferences listed first. 2nd Magno Colloquium of PhD Students in Economics of the Mexican Republic November 10th – 12th, 2014 Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) Mexico City, Mexico Effective Macro-Prudential Instruments November 13th and 14th, 2014 University of Nottingham Nottingham, United Kingdom International Academic Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities November 13th and 14th, 2014 Czech Economic Society Prague, Czech Republic Modeling and Analysis of Safety and Risk in Complex Systems November 18th – 20th, 2014 Institute of Problems of Mechanical Engineering St. Petersburg, Russia 7th International Research Conference 2014 November 28th, 2014 Central Bank of Sri Lanka Colombo, Sri Lanka Future iGaming December 2nd – 4th, 2014 World Bank London, United Kingdom Recent Developments in Financial Econometrics and Applications December 4th and 5th, 2014 Deakin University, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance Melbourne, Australia Australasian Public Choice Conference 2014 December 5th and 6th, 2014 Monash University Melbourne, Australia 4th Conference on Immigration in OECD Countries December 8th, 2014 Organisation for Economics Cooperation and Development (OECD) Paris, France 2014 (EC)2 Conference December 12th and 13th, 2014 University of Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, Spain 22nd SFM Conference on the Theories and Practices of Securities and Financial Markets December 12th and 13th, 2014 Department of Finance, National Sun Yat-sen University Kaohsiung, Taiwan The 5th Annual Xiamen University International Workshop on Experimental Economics December 12th – 14th, 2014 Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics (WISE) Xiamen, China Conference on Non-linearities in Macroeconomics and Finance in the Light of Crisis December 15th and 16th, 2014 European Central Bank Frankfurt am Main, Germany 2nd Economics of Low-Carbon Markets Workshop December 15th and 16th, 2014 Department of Economics, University of Sao Paolo São Paolo, Brazil Second Paris Financial Management Conference December 15th and 16th, 2014 IPAG Business School Paris, France 4th Workshop on Financial Determinants of Exchange Rates December 17th and 18th, 2014 Dutch Central Bank Amsterdam, Netherlands VII Italian Doctoral Workshop in Empirical Economics December 17th and 18th, 2014 Carlo Alberto College Torino, Italy BoE, CfM, and CEPR Workshop on International Trade, Finance and Macroeconomics December 18th and 19th, 2014 Center for Economics and Policy Research London, United Kingdom The Deep Causes of Economic Development December 18th – 20th, 2014 Utrecht University Utrecht, Netherlands To browse even more conferences – across disciplines and around the world – head to INOMICS now. Photo credit: Queen’s University
As the year slowly draws to a close it can be easy to focus on the work in front of us and forget about the many academic conferences still taking place around the world. Such events are a great place to build your network, boost your CV and gain new insight into your field. This list offers you a brief overview of the many conferences in banking, economics, finance and related fields that will be taking place across the globe during the last months of 2014.
How to Enhance the Impact of Your Research
If you have just published an article about which you feel extremely passionate, the idea that it will likely just become a citation in someone’s dissertation down the line can be a bit disconcerting. As this post from the London School of Economics and Political Science points out, the best strategy for creating a lasting impact is targeted and sustained knowledge exchange. In this article, we will delve into four key areas to focus on in order to create an impact with your research – regardless of whether your goal is simply to expand your readership or to directly target policymakers in order to advocate evidence-based change. Media In order for the media to report on your research, they have to view it as “newsworthy.” Although you might find your research groundbreaking, you need to use concrete strategies for conveying your message to other people. As this piece from the Research to Action Helpdesk suggests, you should write multiple media specific single-page summaries of your work. These should take context, audience and type of media into account and frame your work to suit these factors. A well-written, targeted press release can go a long way, particularly if you’ve taken the time to find the individual email addresses of journalists in a relevant field. The more press releases and media summaries you send out, the more likely it is that your research will get picked up as a story. Online Visibility Beyond traditional media, social media and online academic networks are important platforms for putting your work out there. How many times have you looked at an article simply because one of your friends posted it somewhere in your social network? By adding keywords, captions, titles, subheadings and clear abstracts to each of your articles, they are more likely to be picked up by and spread across social media, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, etc. Uploading your work onto platforms such as Google Scholar, Pubmed and Academia.edu will boost your audience substantially, while upping your chances of being widely read, cited and ultimately recognized as a scholar in your field. People both within and outside of academia use open access repositories, meaning that your work has a much better chance of being read than if it’s only available through a fee-based platform, a point emphasized in this webpage offered by Oxford University. Another option for getting your work out there and making connections with others in your field is to start a blog about your research. Many top academics also run highly successful blogs, without which they may never have gained acclaim outside of their specific disciplines. While you may not become a #1 internet sensation overnight, a well-written and well-promoted blog can gain you a quick following and a broad audience. Network Most academics know how important the networking aspect of conferences can be. Beyond simply engaging with like-minded researchers on topics of mutual interest, you can also call on such connections to help promote your latest research in relevant channels worldwide. Forging exchange-based partnerships with researchers on a similar level as you is one good idea – they can promote your work and you theirs, allowing for mutual benefit and broadened networks. An article from Washington University in St. Louis offers many concrete tips for disseminating research, including through outreach visits to relevant institutions or universities, where you can offer seminars, give lectures or take part in discussions. By promoting your research you are also promoting your ideas, making further connections and getting your name out there. Policymakers The best way to create a strong impact in the community on which your research centers is to engage directly with policymakers – be it at the local, regional or national level. The first step is to write a policy brief, but you can’t stop there if you really want your voice heard. Find advocates in policymakers’ offices who can understand your work and create relevant linkages for those at the top. Many governmental offices have people specifically assigned to work with experts, and you should find such a person and discuss with them why your research meshes with the interests of the individual policymaker, making clear how you can help advance their position while aiding your cause. Simply contacting a policymaker directly is also an option, but be sure to emphasize your credentials and offer a clear and direct message. Finally, teaming up with other researchers in your area is one of the best ways to make your voice heard. Think tanks and international organizations can provide a great place for networking with other experts in your field who already have a platform for addressing policymakers and the public. As this Science Magazine article underscores, the more people on your team, the greater chance you will have of making a true impact. Photo credit: throgers
While we all know the importance of publishing widely in terms of moving forward in an academic career, what is sometimes left out of the discussion is how to make sure that your research has an actual impact in the community it is addressing, or in the world at large. If you would like your research to be read beyond the gates of the ivory tower, you need to know how to effectively promote yourself and your work.
Teaching Tips for New Professors and Lecturers
1. Ask for Advice It’s important to remember that everyone was new at some point. Whether before, during or after your first semester, don’t hesitate to reach out to colleagues for advice and assistance. As almost everyone previously in this position will attest, other faculty members can give you specific advice about your institution and help you understand the nuances of what it’s like to work there – use them! It’s also useful to remember that no one is expecting perfection from day one – or day fifty for that matter – so asking questions, rather than showing ignorance as it sometimes can feel like, is just the sensible and smart thing to do. 2. Define Clear Goals This goes for both you and for your students. In the first few sessions, make it clear to your students what you hope to achieve and how you plan on getting there. Don’t simply go over the syllabus. Instead, explain to students why you chose the content and how you expect to tackle it together. Students will appreciate the time you take elaborating why week 2 is macro rather than microeconomics, and why Keynes comes before Friedman. Having them on board from the get-go, feeling part of the process –teaching is after all a two way street – will stand you in good stead. 3. Establish Your Role Early On While high school students tend to be a bit more aggressive than college students when it comes to jumping on a teacher’s vulnerabilities, it’s still incredibly important to show that you are the boss straight away – and first impressions in this regard are particularly important. Building back respect after a bad first few weeks is difficult. Avoid this by asserting yourself from the get-go. You needn’t overly impose yourself, just show your class that there are some lines that cannot be crossed. If you feel nervous, remember that you have earned this position and that it’s yours alone. 4. Always Be Prepared (And Prepared to Change) One of the best ways to establish yourself as an authority in the classroom is to always come prepared. Be sure to set up anything you’ll need during your lecture or discussion in advance so that if there are any issues you can take care of them beforehand without wasting valuable class time. If something goes wrong or gets changed last minute, be prepared to go with the flow – it’s best to always have a back-up plan. 5. Try Out Diverse Teaching Methods You might have clear ideas about what type of professor you want to be before you enter the classroom, but don’t be surprised if your expectations shift once reality sets in. Though sticking to a plan is important, it’s also a good idea to experiment with an array of teaching tools and methods. Gone are the days when a blackboard and a piece of chalk would suffice. Gone also are the days when a simple slideshow accompaniment would suffice. Nowadays, particularly post-COVID, the use of technology is indispensable, a must if students are to stay engaged – and INOMICS has a blog article dedicated exclusively to which tools will best serve this need . 6. Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes It’s understandable to always want to answer students’ questions and know the right answers, but it’s impossible to be right all the time. If you don’t know an answer, it’s best to simply admit that and come back to that student once you’ve figured it out. Your students will respect you more if you admit your flaws rather than pretending to be sure about something when you’re not. 7. Have High Expectations and Engage Your Students Whether you’re teaching in a community college or an Ivy League university, it’s important to remember that, more often than not, your students will rise to the occasion and meet the standards you set, provided you give them the opportunity to do so. This means not only presenting challenges, but showing students you have faith in their ability, and affording them independence. Most will respond positively to this kind of treatment, and will derive confidence from the trust you place in them. 8. Depth is Usually Better than Breadth Many new professors feel that if they don’t get through every page of a book and every item on the syllabus they haven’t done their job. Yet, for most students, a comprehensive examination of one subject is much better than a superficial look at many subjects. So, as is pointed out in this Psychology Today article, don’t be afraid to let a good discussion go on a bit longer than planned – just be clear about your expectations for what students need to be familiar with even if you don’t get through everything in class. 9. Take Notes and Build On Your Own Experiences In addition to incorporating the advice of other professors, it’s important to reflect on your own experience in the classroom. Taking notes or keeping a teaching journal can help you veer away from things that didn’t work and focus on what did. As this blog post from About Education highlights, it’s also important to reflect on what’s doable for you. If the first few weeks of classes make you realize you’ve packed too much in, don’t be afraid to adapt the syllabus for the rest of the semester. 10. Be Yourself and Have Fun Although it might not always be easy to stay relaxed, try to remember that being yourself and showing your passion for your subject is normally the most effective motivator for students and certainly the best way for you to enjoy your job. You’ve made it through grad school and landed a job as a professor, so be proud of yourself – and have some fun with it!
Although most new professors have already clocked countless hours in the classroom as teaching assistants, the shift to being the sole authority in the room can be a scary one. No matter how prepared you might feel, the first days (or weeks or months) at any new job tend to be a bit overwhelming – and that's totally normal. So, whether you feel like legging it home and hiding under the covers until winter break, or you just need a little extra boost to get you on the right track, the following 10 tips will help you stay motivated, organized and have you ready for the coming academic year and all it’s likely to throw at you.
Top Conferences in Banking, Economics and Finance - Fall 2014
In addition to offering you our usual conference round-ups over the past seasons, we’ve also provided you with tips on how to choose the right conference for you and what to wear once you’re there. Furthermore, take note that this is just a selection of all of the conferences listed on INOMICS, so if you don’t see the perfect event for you in the list below, you can head to INOMICS and do a targeted search through the hundreds of additional opportunities. The following conferences are listed in ascending order. Please be aware, however, that deadlines for paper submissions and participant registration vary widely, so take a look at the individual conference pages to double check deadlines. If a submission deadline has already passed, it is still a good idea to contact the conference organizers, as last minute cancellations can mean they still need participants. 1) 25th Annual Conference on Islamic Banking September 1st – 2nd Central Bank of Iran Tehran, Iran 2) 9th Annual Conference of the EPIP Association – Improving Innovation Systems September 4th – 5th, 2014 European Commission Brussels, Belgium 3) 15th OxMetrics User Conference September 4th – 5th, 2014 Timberlake Consultants London, United Kingdom 4) International Istanbul Conference of Economics and Finance September 8th – 9th, 2014 Yildiz Technical University Istanbul, Turkey 5) 28th International Business Research Conference September 8th – 9th, 2014 University of London Barcelona, Spain 6) 8th International Conference on Currency, Banking and International Finance September 10th – 11th, 2014 University of Economics in Bratislava Bratislava, Slovakia 7) 20th London Stata Users Group Meeting September 11th – 12th, 2014 Timberlake Consultants London, United Kingdom 8) 14th FRAP Finance Accounting and Risk Perspectives Conference September 22nd – 24th, 2014 ACRN U Research Centre Oxford, United Kingdom 9) Cambridge Financial Risk & Network Theory September 23rd, 2014 Centre for Risk Studies, University of Cambridge Cambridge, United Kingdom 10) ABSRC 2014 Rome – Advances in Business-Related Scientific Research Conference September 24th – 26th, 2014 Rome, Italy 11) XXVI Annual Conference of the Italian Society of Public Economics September 25th – 26th, 2014 Italian Society of Public Economics (SIEP) Pavia, Italy 12) Banking in Europe: Current Challenges September 26th, 2014 Institute of Economic Studies – Charles University Prague, Czech Republic 13) Dynamics, Economic Growth and International Trade (DEGIT XIX) September 26th – 28th, 2014 Department of Economics, Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee, United States 14) Oil & Gas Supply Chain Strategy 2014 October 7th – 8th, 2014 Athens University of Economics and Business London, United Kingdom 15) 3rd International Conference: Environment and Natural Resources Management in Developing and Transition Economies October 8th – 10th, 2014 Centre for Studies and Research on International Development Clermont-Ferrand, France 16) International Conference: Exchange Rates, Monetary Policy and Financial Stability in Emerging Markets and Developing Countries October 13th – 14th, 2014 University of Leipzig Leipzig, Germany 17) Copenhagen Workshop on Limited Attention, Selective Perception and Bounded Rationality in Decision Making October 20th – 21st, 2014 University of Copenhagen Copenhagen, Denmark 18) Entrepreneurial Finance, Innovation and Growth October 23rd – 24th, 2014 Bank of Finland and Centre for Economic Policy Research Helsinki, Finland 19) International Microsimulation Meeting October 23rd – 24th, 2014 Maastricht Graduate School of Governance Maastricht, Netherlands 20) The 9th International Conference on Business Management Research (ICBMR) October 24th – 25th, 2014 Kyoto University Kyoto, Japan 21) The Financing of Healthcare and Welfare Models in the Era of Longevity October 27th – 28th, 2014 Italian Health Economics Association Venice, Italy 22) Third International Conference on Futures and Derivative Markets October 31st – November 1st, 2014 Shanghai Futures Exchange Shanghai, China 23) 17th Annual Research Conference – Forward Guidance and Communication about Unconventional Monetary Policy November 13th – 14th, 2014 Dutch Central Bank Amsterdam, Netherlands 24) International Conference on Business Servitization November 13th – 14th, 2014 Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness, University of Deusto Bilbao, Spain 25) NBP Workshop on Short Term Forecasting November 13th – 14th, 2014 National Bank of Poland Warsaw, Poland 26) Symposium on Business and Economics in Times of Crisis 2014 November 14th – 15th, 2014 Lupcon Center for Business Research Lisbon, Portugal 27) ISI Regional Statistics Conference 2014 November 16th – 19th, 2014 Bank Negara Malaysia Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 28) 5th Annual Financial Market Liquidity Conference November 20th – 21st, 2014 Corvinus University of Budapest Budapest, Hungary 29) Building Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security in the Euro-Mediterranean Area: Challenges and Policy Options November 20th – 21st, 2014 Institute of International Affairs Rabat, Morocco 30) 10th Joint ECB/CEPR Labour Market Workshop on “Labour Supply in the Aftermath of the Crisis” November 27th – 28th, 2014 European Central Bank Frankfurt am Main, Germany Photo credit: UNU-WIDER
Although those of us in the northern hemisphere have just entered the dog days of summer, fall is just around the corner, meaning it’s the right time to start planning out your autumn conference schedule. Whether you’re dreaming of the changing leaves and crisp air or dreading the idea of darker evenings and cooler days, right now you should focus on choosing the right event for you from this great list of academic conferences taking place around the world.
How to Make the Most of a Post Doc or Junior Researcher Position
Yet, some recent graduates feel so overwhelmed by the dissertation process that they use a post doc as something akin to academic downtime. While this might be tempting, it is important to remember that the beginning of your career can set the tone for years to come. In today’s highly competitive academic market, having multiple publications and presentations on your CV within the first few years of your career can help you immensely in landing a desired position down the road. In order to make the most of your time as a post doctoral or junior researcher, you should communicate openly and clearly with the primary investigators and/or your advisor about your aims and interests going into the job. As the authors of a recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education note, it is important to make a plan regarding what you would like to accomplish in your position. Some advisors will even suggest that you work together to draft a clear individual development plan. When doing so, be sure to keep in mind all possible opportunities you might be able to engage in during your post doc. These include: Organizing a symposium Writing literature reviews Co-authoring research Teaching courses Writing grant proposals Attending conferences Moreover, beyond engaging in such activities, it is also important to make use of the great human resources surrounding you. In addition to the PIs, the other junior researchers also present great opportunities for collaboration. By working with peers, you create chances for long-term connections and build a broader network. Outside of the lab or institute, networking at conferences and meetings is also an essential part of making the most of your time as a post doc. The best way to get your name out there is to attend as many relevant events as possible, presenting research, showing posters, or even just talking to fellow researchers. While introducing yourself to someone important in your discipline might seem awkward at first, you will soon come to realize that it comes with the territory of being an academic. By following these basic guidelines, you will be able to get the most out of your post doc position, thereby helping you along the way to a great career in academia. To get started, head over to INOMICS and browse the many post doc and junior research opportunities. Photo credit: University of Michigan
For many recent PhDs and other doctoral graduates, the first step in an academic career is at least one, if not two or three post doc or junior researcher positions. Regardless of which department you work in, such a position is a great way to make connections, publish your research, add experience to your CV and get a feel for life as an academic.
Online Courses for Professional Development or Continuing Education
In the digital age we live in now, however, the range of options for online professional development has expanded exponentially. Now, even if you don’t live in a location with great continuing education resources nearby, you can easily tap into the top-notch online opportunities available to professionals around the world. There are numerous well-renowned universities that offer myriad professional development courses, many of which provide certificates of completion. Additionally, there is also a growing number of online only schools and organizations that offer courses specifically to professionals. Among these, some offer courses free of charge in the name of open access education. In previous posts we’ve focused solely on free online courses in particular disciplines, such as statistics and data analysis, mathematics and econometrics, as well as delving into MOOCS, or Massive Open Online Courses. While we find free knowledge sharing incredibly valuable, unfortunately free resources aren’t always sufficient. For this reason, we have highlighted the schools and organizations that offer free courses, but also recommend taking a look at the other courses if you are interested in professional development, particularly if you would like to earn an end of course certificate. Below you can find a two-part list, beginning with university-based online courses and ending with online only resources. The number and type of courses ranges widely, meaning that you can likely find almost any type of course you might be looking for. Courses offered through universities often follow the semester calendar, while other courses might be shorter, more intensive or allow participants to pick their pace. University based: Cornell University – focus on communications, business, finance and healthcare Duke University – focus on human resources, legal professions, community development Harvard University – courses across all disciplines and levels Stanford University – courses across all disciplines and levels University of Cambridge – some free courses, many certificate courses across fields University of Oxford – focus on project management, computer science, risk analysis, engineering University of Washington – some free courses, many certificate courses across fields Walden University (a fully online university) – focus on education, management, nursing Online only: AECdaily – short and long courses on diverse subjects Alison – courses across all fields, both certificates and diplomas can be earned ed2go – focus on healthcare, business, IT, design, service industry, management, sustainability Free-Ed.Net – free, non-certificate courses across disciplines Thunderbird Online – certificate-based courses across disciplines Though we tried to highlight top online courses in this list, there are of course plenty of other professional development resources out there. To browse course offerings, head to the INOMICS site. If you think we should have included something that you don’t see on this list, feel free to let us know in the comments below!
Many people who are already years or decades into their careers find themselves wanting to build upon their skillsets and expand their professional qualifications. Perhaps they want to make a career change, feel stuck in a mid-level position but lack the qualifications necessary for advancement, or perhaps they are just interested in gaining new knowledge but don’t have the time or means to head back to school. In the past, people in such situations could enroll in evening or weekend courses at community centers or continuing education departments at local universities.
Conferences in Finance: 15 Events in Summer 2014
Though some of the official registration deadlines have already past, if there is a conference of interest to you coming up, it’s always worth contacting the organizers to see if there are still available spots. The list below is arranged by date, with upcoming conferences on top. European Funds Transfer Pricing for Banks Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 21 – 22 May 2014 12th Annual International Conference on Finance Athens, Greece, 26 – 29 May 2014 Vienna 2nd Economics and Finance Conference – IISES Vienna, Austria, 3 – 6 June 2014 13th EBES Conference Istanbul, Turkey, 5 – 7 June 2014 Ionnina Meeting on Applied Economics and Finance – IMAEF 2014 Corfu, Greece, 12 – 13 June 2014 International Finance and Banking Society (IFABS) 2014 Lisbon Conference Lisbon, Portugal, 18 – 20 June 2014 2014 FEBS Conference on Global Trends in Financial Intermediation, Financial Markets, and Financial Modeling Guildford, United Kingdom, 21 – 23 June 2014 4th Islamic Banking and Finance Conference (IBF 2014) Lancaster, United Kingdom, 23 – 24 June 2014 2014 Asian Finance Association (AsianFA) Annual Conference Bali, Indonesia, 24 – 27 June 2014 2014 Workshop “Coping with Risk in Transnational Financial Markets” Oldenburg, Germany, 3 – 4 July 2014 Operational Research in Financial and Management Accounting Barcelona, Spain, 13 – 18 July 2014 3rd International Symposium on Business and Social Sciences (3rd ISBSS) Sapporo, Japan, 22 – 24 July 2014 Finance and Economics Conference 2014 Munich, Germany, 13 – 15 August 2014 Recent Advances in Mutual Fund and Hedge Fund Research Berlin, Germany, 25 – 26 2014 8th International Conference on Currency, Banking and International Finance – The Role of Financial Sector in Supporting the Economic Recovery in CEE Countries Bratislava, Slovakia, 10 – 11 September 2014 As always, this is by no means a comprehensive list. There are many more great conferences on finance and other disciplines taking place this summer all over the world. To browse other listings, head to the INOMICS site. Photo credit: Official GDC
Last year, we offered you a list of 10 finance conferences worth attending in 2013. Now, with summer just around the corner and conference season already underway, we want to make sure you know which conferences to register for ASAP and which to have on your radar for the coming months. With finance such a hot topic across the world right now, we’ve expanded our list to 15, while limiting the time frame to the summer months. Towards the end of the summer we’ll post another list for fall and winter conferences.
Popular Fields in Economics – Which Conference Topics are Most Relevant?
Many interesting comparisons can be drawn with this data, particularly regarding which fields of specialization are most popular in each country, and what percentage of survey respondents continue to work in their areas of study. In the above chart it can be seen that Macroeconomics & Monetary Economics are at the top overall, with 12% of respondents having specialized in this field during their studies. While 10% of all respondents chose Other, International Economics and Financial Economics were each chosen by 9% of respondents across the globe. In Spain, Microeconomics was the top field of specialization (13%), while Germany, Switzerland & Austria reflected the global trend, with 12% of respondents citing Macroeconomics & Monetary Economics as their field. Interestingly, Latin America showed an even higher percentage, where 16% of respondents chose this popular field, while in North America Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics, Environmental and Ecological Economics and Financial Economics were each most chosen. When examining the percentage of respondents who remained within their field of specialization when moving on to a job or a higher degree, quite a range can once again be seen across countries, though overall more than a third (35%) of respondents changed specializations. This level of flexibility reflects a high degree of adaptation amongst academics today, indicating a willingness to gain new expertise while also putting old skills to use. Such data could be of great use when planning conferences in various countries, potentially targeting both those areas where certain specializations are strongest and also those most diverse. For specific information about fields of specialization in countries such as Spain, Germany, Switzerland & Austria or the United States & Canada, download full reports here. You can also download the Worldwide Overview, which contains more details on this and many other subjects.
With the release of the Spanish report this week in the worldwide series of INOMICS Job Market Reports, more information has been added to the wealth of data regarding the interests and experiences of economists across the globe.
For those of you who already feel comfortable enough with at least basic econometrics and see the discipline as a vital tool for any research project and an indispensable part of any empirical study, participating in a conference might be the next step. To help you to take a decision which event to attend, we collected a number of econometrics conferences and workshops worldwide published on INOMICS, where researchers and econometricians gather to exchange experiences and discuss advances in the field (in chronological order): 1. Advances in Econometrics Conference at University of California, US (February 22-23, 2014) focuses on Bayesian Model Comparison. Deadline for paper submission: January 10, 2014 2. 3rd PhD Student Conference in International Macroeconomics and Financial Econometrics in Nanterre, France (March 19, 2014) covers such topics as exchange rates and exchange rate regimes, contagion mechanisms and systemic risk and financial and commodity markets. Deadline for paper submission: December 20, 2013 (!) 3. 13th International Workshop on Spatial Econometrics and Statistics in Toulon, France (April 15-16, 2014) gives emphasis to particular issues and applications in the fields of urban economics, land use and climate or environmental change. Deadline for paper submission: January 15, 2014 4. 11th International Conference Forecasting Financial Markets and Economic Decision-Making in Lodz, Poland (May 15-16, 2014) focuses on macro- and micro economic modelling, business cycles analyses and advances in financial econometrics. Deadline for paper submission: February 1, 2014 5. IWcee14 – International Workshop on Computational Economics and Econometrics in Rome, Italy (June 26-27, 2014) is organized by the Institute for Economic Research on Firms and Growth and focuses on socio economics of networks. Deadline for paper submission: May 1, 2014 6. IAAE 2014 Annual Conference of International Association for Applied Econometrics in London, UK (June 26-28, 2014) brings together leading researchers in the field to discuss theoretical and practical aspects. Deadline for paper submission: February 1, 2014 Image Credit: asadal
Econometrics is a thorough discipline that demands time and effort to be mastered. For many people who want to pursue a degree in economics it serves as an obstacle, but as we’ve shown before, there are many resources you can use to your advantage to become proficient in it: blogs and podcasts can introduce you to the topic and give practical advice, free online courses will incentivize you to learn systematically and increase your ability to perform a research using different econometrics and statistical software like “R” or “Stata”, and YouTube channels can greatly support your studies by giving access to lectures and tutorials of great professors at any time convenient for you.
Econometrics, Statistics and Quantitative Methods (JEL C)