Budget Cuts in the UK: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
In this post we’re examining the responses gathered from researchers and other academic professionals working in the UK. Of those who responded to our survey, 70% said they work in universities, 9% in think tanks, 9% in a private company or consultancy, 9% in the government and the remaining 3% in a bank. The data from the UK are quite interesting, as they generally follow the general European trend, except in the case of marketing budgets. Yet, when examined more closely, the lack of change in anticipated budget cuts in marketing for 2014 can be countered by an increased percentage of UK respondents expecting budget increases. For 2013, 5% of UK respondents claimed their marketing budgets were increased, while 10% said they anticipated marketing budget increases for 2014. These expected increases for the 2014 fiscal year are certainly good news for UK marketing departments! Across each of the other budgets, the sharp decrease in anticipated budget cuts for 2014 also offers a promising outlook for the UK market. 14% of respondents said they anticipated general budget increases for 2014, which also shows a distinct increase from the 9% who reported general budget increases for 2013.
Last year, we conducted a global survey of nearly 800 academics, asking questions about budget cuts at their respective institutions for fiscal year 2013, and their expectations for 2014. We wanted to get a sense of the climate around the world in terms of who is still being affected by the economic downturn, and to what extent, in order to better grasp the daily reality for both employers and job seekers.
Budget Cuts in the USA: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
In this post, we’re exploring responses from researchers and others working in the United States. Of those who took part in the survey, 67% said they work in universities, 8% in think tanks, 8% in NGOs, 8% in private companies or consultancies, 4% in international organizations, 4% in banks and 2% in the government. This distribution was amongst the most diverse of any country represented. While it is clear that the U.S. is still feeling the effects of the global recession, the fact that anticipated budget cuts were nearly 50% lower across the board for 2014 is a very promising sign. Moreover, while only 4% of respondents said their general budgets were increased in 2013, 12% reported expected increases for fiscal year 2014. These responses underscore a more positive outlook for the U.S. market moving forward. The largest drop in expected budget cuts was reported for marketing budgets. This follows the global trend, though the disparity between reported cuts in 2013 and expected cuts for 2014 is larger than in most countries. As with the outlook for general budgets, this is certainly good news for marketing departments across the U.S.
Public Economics & Economic Policy (JEL H)
Budget Cuts in Germany: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
In this post we’re focusing on the responses of researchers and others working in Germany. Of those who took part in our survey in Germany, 55% said they work in a university, 16% in a think tank, 10% in the government, 10% in a private company or consultancy, 4% in an international or aid organization, 2% in a bank and the remaining 2% in an NGO. This group of responses was the most diverse of any country in Europe, thereby offering interesting insight into researchers and other workers from various sectors. Interestingly, while the percentage of people reporting budget cuts in 2013 was significantly lower than in other European countries, such as Spain, Italy, France or the UK, the reported data show little anticipated change for 2014. In fact, more people anticipated cuts to their general budgets for 2014 than 2013. These numbers indicate that although the German economy may not have been as hard hit as those in other countries, the recovery is still slow. Following the trend of other European countries, however, reported cuts to marketing budgets were low, remaining at 13% for both 2013 and 2014. These numbers offer a positive outlook for marketing departments in academia and elsewhere across Germany.
Budget Cuts in South America: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
In this post we’re focusing on survey respondents from South America. We recognize that there are vast differences between various countries in South America, but due to a low response rate from individual countries, we are reporting aggregate data from across the region. Of those who took part in our survey from South America, 66% said they work in universities, 17% in private companies or consultancies, 9% in NGOs, 3% in the government, another 3% in banks and the remaining 3% in international or aid organizations. Compared to other countries around the world, the percentage of people reporting any budget cuts in South America was quite low. Moreover, the anticipated budget cuts for fiscal year 2014 were even lower than those reported for 2013. A notable exception to this trend, however, was a jump to 10% of respondents saying they expected cuts in their marketing budgets for 2014, while no one reported marketing budget cuts for 2013. A full 50% of respondents anticipated that their marketing budgets would not be affected in 2014, however, and 27% reported budget increases. These numbers were very similar to responses regarding overall budgets, with 50% expecting no changes in 2014 and 21% expecting increases. The overall outlook for researchers and others working in South America is therefore quite positive, particularly compared to other regions around the world.
Budget Cuts in Australia: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
In this post we’re examining the responses from researchers and other academic professionals working in Australia. Of those who took part in our survey, 60% work in universities, 15% in private companies or consultancies, 10% in the government, 5% in banks and the remaining 5% in think tanks. The breakdown of experienced and expected budget cuts in Australia is quite interesting, as the differences between reported budget cuts in general versus specific departments is large, while the percentage of respondents expecting cuts in 2014 lessons across the board. This trend indicates a positive outlook in the Australian market, though it is possible that cuts in universities are more common in private companies and government, making the data somewhat inconclusive. The very small percentage of respondents anticipating cuts in their 2014 marketing budgets is great news for marketing departments in both education and the private sector. The numbers in Australia reflect the global trend, though the percentage of respondents expecting marketing budgets cuts is amongst the lowest worldwide.
Budget Cuts in Africa: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
In this post, we’ll focus on the continent of Africa. Although we recognize that there is great diversity between the regions in Africa and between particular countries, we were unable to draw effective conclusions at a more specific level due a low response rate in individual countries. At the regional level, however, these numbers offer a positive outlook for researchers and others working on the African continent. Of those in Africa who took part in our survey, 46% said they work in universities, 17% in private companies or consultancies, 16% in NGOs, 8% in governments, 5% in think tanks, 4% in banks and the remaining 4% in international or aid organizations. This distribution was the most diverse of any region, offering interesting insight for those looking to work in Africa, not only in education, but also in the private sector or for NGOs and government partnerships. While survey respondents reported budget cuts across the board for 2013, the percentage expecting cuts for 2014 was significantly smaller. Moreover, an impressive 53% of respondents said they anticipated general budget increases for fiscal year 2014. Such a positive outlook was not seen anywhere else around the world. In terms of marketing budgets, 44% of respondents anticipated increases in 2014, up from 19% in 2013. These numbers are very promising for marketing departments across Africa.
Budget Cuts in Spain: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
This post will be the first in a series examining the responses we received from professionals in various countries. Of those who responded to our survey from Spain, 89% indicated that they work for a university, 6% for a private company, 3% for a bank, and 3% for the government. The responses from Spain resonated with a reality with which we’ve become familiar – not only was it one of the hardest hit countries in Europe (94% of respondents reported cuts to their general budgets for 2013), but the prospects for speedy recovery are also minimal (77% of respondents forecasted general budget cuts for fiscal year 2014). These numbers do reflect a shift in a positive direction, however, as the percentage of people who claim to have budgets that were “not affected” in 2013 (6%) grew larger for 2014 (17%). Looking at the graph above, you can see that responses for recruitment, marketing and research budgets follow a similar trajectory. As you can see, marketing budgets were reported to have had the fewest cuts in 2013 and maintained this position for 2014. These data were consistent across nearly all countries that took part in the survey, which is good news for marketing departments from across the education industry.
Budget Cuts in Italy: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
This post will focus on the responses we received from professionals in Italy. Of those who responded to our survey, 81% reported working in universities, 11% in banks, 6% in think tanks and the remaining 2% in the government. This breakdown included more responses from university employees than any country other than Spain. The results from each of these countries therefore specifically reflect the academic reality more so than the general reality for researchers and other professionals. Although the number of respondents reporting budget cuts for 2013 was incredibly high, the rates of expected cuts for fiscal year 2014 were lower across the board. This indicates that while Italy is still suffering in all areas from the recession, there is some positive outlook to be taken note of. Moreover, the percentage of respondents saying their general budget would not be affected by cuts in 2014 (23%) was significantly higher than those who claimed to have not been affected by general budget cuts in 2013 (11%). This indicates that even if budgets are not being expanded, cuts are becoming less widespread. This trend is particularly visible amongst marketing budgets, which aligns with a global tendency.
Budget Cuts in France: Experienced and Expected Changes in Academic Institutions
In this post we will be examining responses from researchers and others working in France. Of those who took part in our survey, 83% reported working in a university, 6% in an international or aid organization, 6% in a private company or consultancy and 5% in a bank. This was one of the strongest representations of university employees of any country taking part in the survey. It is perhaps because of the very high number of university respondents that the expected budget cuts for 2014 were generally not lower, and in the case of recruitment budgets even higher than those reported for 2013. Yet, it is important to note that the percentage of people reporting general budget cuts for 2013 (67%) was already lower than in the UK (74%), and much lower than hard hit countries such as Italy (81%) and Spain (94%). The continued expectation for budget cuts in 2014 is also tempered by a sharp increase in expected increases for general budgets (from 6% in 2013 to 17% expected for 2014). Furthermore, while no one reported increases in marketing budgets for 2013, 6% of respondents said they anticipated increases in their marketing budgets for 2014. These reported increases offer some positive outlook for researchers and others working in France.
Erasmus Master’s Programs: Economics, Law and Policy 2014
Erasmus Mundus programs are a very attractive option for students who want to have an international education experience. Although it mainly covers opportunities in European universities; affiliate partners from all over the world can access the advantages of the network. Thinking about the importance of making informed choices, we have prepared a series of articles about the topic, listing the most popular Erasmus programs per discipline and offering information about funding according to region. In this first part, we would like to provide you a short list of popular Erasmus Mundus Master Courses (EMMCs) in the areas of economics, law and policy making. The following list does not follow any ranking criteria; it serves to inform interested students about the possibility of studying in an Erasmus Master’s program in the above-mentioned disciplines in the European Union, North America, Latin America and Asia. EMIN – Erasmus Mundus Joint Master in Economics and Management of Network Industries – Spain, France, Belgium, United States, Brazil EMLE – European Master in Law and Economics – Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, India, Israel EPOG – Master’s Course – Economic Policies in the age of Globalisation : knowledge, finance and development – France, Italy, Germany, UK, South Africa, Brazil MEDEG – Economic Development and Growth – Spain, UK, Sweden MEGEI – MA Economics of Globalisation and European Integration – Belgium, Italy, France, Spain, UK, Brazil, China, Czech Republic QEM – Models and Methods of Quantitative Economics – Spain, Germany, France, Italy CoDe – Joint European Master in Comparative Local Development – Hungary, Slovenia, Germany, Italy MUNDUS MAPP – Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Public Policy – Spain, Netherlands, UK MA LLL – European Masters in Lifelong Learning: Policy and Management – Denmark, UK, Spain, Australia MESPOM – Master of Science in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management – Sweden, UK, Greece, United States, Canada Keep an eye out for the second post in this series, in which we will cover the important issues of scholarships and general funding for those interested in Erasmus programs! Photo credit: Trey Ratcliff
The Erasmus Mundus program is a well-known cooperation program between European universities and the rest of the world. Through partnerships, projects, funding and joint programs, it gives students around the globe the opportunity to access high-quality education, while also encouraging student mobility.
Looking at the findings of the INOMICS Job Market Report (which is available for free download here) we clearly see difference in wage levels across academics in different part of the world. This post is dedicated to Italy, the country with one of the lowest reported salaries in Europe (followed only by Spain). As can be seen from the graph, the salaries are not very high in the beginning of the path and although they increase with advancements (22% increase between positions on average), Full Professors earn 55,000 US$ per year on average. According to the INOMICS Job Market Report – Italy, the first significant increase in salary happens after working for 3 years (+70% on average), and then another 72% on average is added when you reach the level of 5 years of experience. Such relatively low reported salaries can be explained by different factors, including, among others, the young age of the respondents (65% are below 34 years old). In order to get more information about the Job Market in Italy and also see the methodology, you can download the full report here.
Many believe that once one decides to follow an academic career path there is no way out. Working at a university is not only said to bring you respect and stability, but also a gradually increasing income. How high the latter might get obviously depends on many factors, such as your qualifications and the institution you graduated from, as well as the country where you are teaching.
These include both very famous and not so well known blogs, all of which we think are of interest to finance students and professionals alike, or indeed anyone else with a pronounced interest in the world of finance and business. The focus of these blogs ranges from household finances to global monetary policy to investment strategies. Since we already devoted a post to Top Economics Blogs, we tried not to overlap and thus left off certain well-respected finance blogs with a heavy econ focus. The list below does not reflect specific preference, but is instead simply arranged in alphabetical order. Above the Market A Dash of Insight Alt-Market Beat the Press (CEPR) Boom Bust Blog Business Insider Calculated Risk Consumerist Credit Writedowns Crossing Wall Street Dealbook Dealbreaker Finance Trends Matter Financial Rounds Financial Samurai Freakonomics Free Exchange FT Alphaville Grasping Reality Guru Focus iMFdirect Infectious Greed Institutional Investor’s Alpha IntelligentHQ Kid Dynamite’s World Marc to Market Megan McArdle Money Under 30 Naked Capitalism Next New Deal Of Two Minds Planet Money Quintessential Robert Reich Seeking Alpha SINletter The Aleph Blog The Big Picture The Conscience of a Liberal The Epicurean Dealmaker The Money Illusion The Psy-Fi Blog The Research Puzzle The Street Sweeper The Telegraph Finance The Wealth Report Turnkey Analyst Value Walk World Beta Zero Hedge Photo credit: Dirk Knight
While we of course hope you find our own blog to be a great and engaging resource, we recognize that there are copious noteworthy blogs out there focusing specifically on the world of finance. For this post, we’ve gathered a list of 50 Finance related blogs for you to peruse.
Top Think Tanks and Social Science Research Institutes in Spain and Latin America
With this list we hope to highlight prominent institutions undertaking important research on diverse topics within the broad fields of politics, economics and international relations. Whether you’re interested in a job or internship or just want sources for top-notch analysis, this list is a great place to start. Argentine Council for International Relations, Argentina Freedom Foundation, Argentina Center for Public Studies (CEP), Chile Freedom and Development, Chile Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLASCO), Costa Rica Center for Research and Teaching of Economics (CIDE), Mexico Group for the Analysis of Development (GRADE), Peru Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB), Spain Foundation for International Relations and Foreign Dialogue (FRIDE), Spain Foundation for Analysis and Social Studies (FAES), Spain We recognize that these three posts only covered certain regions, leaving out hundreds of highly respected institutes in areas including Asia and Africa. To take a look at the many other institutions with jobs, conferences and other listings on offer, head to the INOMICS website here. Additionally, please share your experiences with others by leaving a review on the INOMICS website for any institute where you have worked, studied or interned! Photo credit: David Berkowitz
This blog post is the third in a series of entries highlighting top think tanks around the globe. Last week we posted a list of top institutes in Europe, and yesterday we offered you a list of think tanks in the United States. Today we’ll focus on the Spanish-speaking world, with a list of top think tanks and research institutes in Spain and Latin America.
Economic Development, Innovation and Growth (JEL O)
Top Think Tanks and Social Science Research Institutes in the U.S. 2013
This list is not exhaustive, but rather selective in its representation of think tanks from both sides of the political aisle, as well as many in the middle. The fifteen institutes listed below offer valuable job and internship opportunities and produce work that can be instrumental for students, professionals, politicians and the general public. Each of these institutes, listed in alphabetical order, is located in Washington, D.C., except for the Council on Foreign Relations, Human Rights Watch and the World Policy Institute, which are located in New York City, the Foreign Policy Research Institute, which is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the East-West Center, which is located in Honolulu, Hawaii. Brookings Institution Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Cato Institute Center for American Progress Center for Economic and Policy Research Center for Strategic & International Studies Council on Foreign Relations East-West Center Foreign Policy Research Institute Freedom House Heritage Foundation Human Rights Watch Pew Research Center Urban Institute World Policy Institute Keep an eye out for tomorrow’s post on Top Think Tanks and Social Science Research Institutes in Spain and Latin America! To take a look at the many other institutions with jobs, conferences and other listings on offer, head to the INOMICS website here. Additionally, please share your experiences with others by leaving a review on the INOMICS website for any institute where you have worked, studied or interned! Photo credit: thisisbossi
Following up on last week’s list of Top Think Tanks and Social Science Research Institutes in Europe, this post is dedicated to top institutions in the United States. Although the U.S. is home to hundreds of research institutes, focusing on a vast array of disciplines and issues, there is a certain degree of consensus regarding which are the most respected. In the list below, we chose to highlight top think tanks working in the broad areas of politics, economics and international relations.
Top Think Tanks and Social Science Research Institutes in Europe 2013
In addition to offering possible job opportunities, the work currently undertaken by these top-notch research institutes can be extremely helpful for students and professionals alike. Often think tanks produce the kind of poignant, up-to-date research not to be found in either mass media or peer-reviewed journals. As with most of our lists, this is by no means an exhaustive account of all the praiseworthy institutes across Europe. We aim to offer a compact yet diverse list of well-renowned institutions from across the continent, arranged alphabetically by country rather than according to any kind of ranking. Center for Applied Political Research, Austria Bruegel, Belgium Centre for European Policy Studies, Belgium Egmont Institute, Belgium European Policy Centre, Belgium Danish Institute for International Studies, Denmark European Union Institute for Security Studies, France French Institute for International Relations German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), Germany German Institute for International and Security Affairs (Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP)), Germany Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Ireland Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis (RCEA), Italy Peace Research Institute of Oslo (PRIO), Norway Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russia Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Sweden Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV), Turkey The Global Policy Institute, UK Chatham House, UK International Institute for Strategic Studies, UK European Council on Foreign Relations, UK To take a look at the many other institutions with jobs, conferences and other listings on offer, head to the INOMICS website here. Additionally, please share your experiences with others by leaving a review on the INOMICS website for any institute where you have worked, studied or interned! Photo credit: Andrea Ciambra
Whether you’re looking for a summer internship, your first postgraduate job or a change in career, gaining experience in a think tank or research institute is always a good way to go. While some think tanks engage in highly specialized research on specific topics, many span a broad range of issues, particularly in the fields of politics, economics and international relations. We’ve decided to dedicate three distinct blog posts to top think tanks around the world, beginning with this list of European institutions. Keep an eye out for upcoming posts on U.S. and Latin American institutions.
Life as an Economist in France - Salary and Working Conditions
French President Francois Hollande’s strategies for moving the country back towards a growth economy have diverged from his party’s platform, however, being met with varying levels of skepticism. Hollande has promoted both tax and public spending cuts in the name of stimulating job growth. He claims that he will go ahead with these planned economic reforms despite poor results for his party in Sunday’s elections. One outspoken critic of Hollande’s policies over the past years has been French economist Thomas Piketty, of the Paris School of Economics. While already well known in France, the recent publication of his book, “Capital in the 21st Century,” has cast Piketty squarely in the international spotlight. Though of course not every economist is likely to earn such esteem as Thomas Piketty, France seems to be a desirable country to set up shop as an academic or analyst, despite (or perhaps because of?) ongoing economic turbulence and political uncertainty. Amongst the economists who responded to the Economics Job Market Report 2013: France published earlier this year, 52% said they’d come to France from another country, meaning France a relatively high percentage of foreign economists. Even in the current economy, salaries amongst economists working in France are fairly competitive, particularly for those with more than three years of experience. According survey respondents, Full Professors earn an average of $75,000 USD per year, while Analysts earn about $73,000. Salary was listed as only the fifth most important factor when choosing a place of employment, however, with friendly working environment, time to conduct research, flexible working hours and institutional reputation topping the list. Thus, it may not be the salary that’s drawing economists to France, but rather the working atmosphere itself. Whatever the conditions that are prompting economists to seek employment in France, well-known professionals like Thomas Piketty make it clear that it’s possible to make them work in your favor. More details on the results and methodology of the Economics Job Market Report can be found on the INOMICS site.
While it was the UMP, France’s conservative opposition party, that won the majority of votes in Sunday’s first round of town hall elections in France, the far-right Front National also made decisive gains, particularly in areas that used to be bastions of the left wing. The ongoing difficulties in the French economy are often cited as one of the key reasons for this redrawing of the political landscape and the losses for the ruling Socialist Party.
Top 20 Political Science Departments Worldwide 2013
We therefore appreciate the significance of such rankings, but also think it’s important to recognize that there are well-respected institutions across the world, offering great programs to a vast diversity of students. For this reason, the list below includes a mix of top-ranked and hand-selected political science departments located at schools around the globe. While nearly all of the departments listed here fall within the top 200 QS rankings, we’ve arranged them geographically, rather than just by rank. InstitutionLocation Harvard UniversityUnited States Yale UniversityUnited States Stanford UniversityUnited States University of TorontoCanada Universidade de São Paulo (USP)Brazil Pontificia Universidad Católica de ChileChile The University of TokyoJapan National University of Singapore (NUS)Singapore Peking UniversityChina University of Hong KongHong Kong Australian National UniversityAustralia The University of AucklandNew Zealand London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)United Kingdom University of OxfordUnited Kingdom Trinity College DublinIreland Sciences Po ParisFrance Leiden UniversityNetherlands University of CopenhagenDenmark Aarhus UniversityDenmark University of MannheimGermany Although this list offers a wide range of schools from around the world, please do check out our more comprehensive list of courses on offer here. Moreover, if you’re on the fence about whether or not you’d like to earn a higher degree in political science, take a look at our post Should I Pursue a PhD in Political Science? for some tips and information on the discipline. Photo credit: Hammerin Man
While plenty of people both within and outside of academia hold strong opinions regarding which institutions have the best political science departments, there are some schools that stand at the top of everyone’s list. Whether you agree or disagree with rankings, the reality is that they matter for students and professionals alike. As of 2013, 20% of political science professors in the United States earned their PhDs at one of four institutions (note that there are nearly 3,000 universities in the U.S.), which happen to hold the top four spots in U.S. News and World Report Rankings.
St. Patrick’s Day is historically a Catholic holiday celebrating the day that St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, died in 461. It has since been officially recognized as a feast day by other Christian denominations and adapted as a secular holiday, generally focusing on parades, parties and Irish-related kitsch. Wearing and displaying the color green is a big part of St. Patrick’s Day, and many cities in the U.S., Ireland, Britain and elsewhere put green dye in their biggest rivers to celebrate the holiday, a trend that began in Chicago in 1962. This year, the city dumped 130 large containers of dye into the water to achieve a glowing green effect. In recent years, governments across the world have joined the fun and will cast a green glimmer on numerous major monuments today, including the Great Wall of China, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and South Africa’s Table Mountain. But the biggest event for many people is the celebration itself, and all of the purchases that come with it. Last year, according to the National Retail Federation, the average person in the U.S. spent $35.27 on green clothing and décor, as you can see compared with the average total spent monthly on games, hobbies and toys. Nationwide, the overall tab for the holiday grew to $4.7 billion. Much of this is due to alcohol sales, particularly things like beer and whiskey. The forecasted total for beer sales in the U.S. was upwards of $255 million. The beer leading the pack is of course Guinness, which has been brewed in Dublin since 1759. While we already devoted a full post to Beeronomics, we did not mention that it was in fact in a Guinness brewery in 1900 that the statistical technique called the t-test was first invented. A mathematically-minded brewer named William Sealy Gosset devised a way to evaluate the effects of diverse barley varieties on the beer using a relatively small sample size. He published his findings in a paper titled “The probable error of a mean”, thereby forever altering statistical methodology and solving a brewing conundrum for Guinness. So, if you’re among those waiting in line to order a pint of this famous stout tonight, remember that it’s statistics that allowed for its global success. And with that, happy St. Patrick’s Day!
While today might just be another Monday for most of us around the world, for the nearly 37 million claiming Irish ancestry (more than 8 times the current population of Ireland), for many living on the Emerald Isle and for those who might just be interested in donning some green and downing a Guinness, St. Patrick’s Day is a beloved holiday. Following in the vein of such posts as Christmas Economics and Halloween Economics, we wanted to get in on the St. Paddy’s fun, but of course with an economics twist.
Top European Master’s Programs in Economics
So as you’re weighing your options and searching for a Master’s program that’s right for you, we hope that a look through this list will help you narrow your choices and jumpstart your application process! Program Name Institution Location MSc in Financial Economics University of Oxford, Saïd Business SchoolUnited Kingdom MSc in Economics LSE – London School of Economics and Political ScienceUnited Kingdom Scottish Graduate Programme in Economics University of EdinburghUnited Kingdom MSc in Economics/Econometrics/Finance University of SouthamptonUnited Kingdom MSc in Economics University of Barcelona, Faculty of Economics and BusinessSpain Master in Applied Research in Economics and Business (MAREB) Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona Spain Master in Economics: Empirical Applications and Policies University of the Basque Country UPV/EHUSpain Master in Economics and Public Policy Sciences Po, Department of EconomicsFrance Advanced Master in International Development Economics University of NamurBelgium MA Development Studies (Economics of Development Major) International Institute of Social Studies – Erasmus University RotterdamThe Netherlands MSc in Econometrics and Operations Research with a specialisation in Econometrics Maastricht UniversityThe Netherlands MSc in Economics & Business Administration – Applied Economics and Finance Copenhagen Business SchoolDenmark MSc in Economics University of MannheimGermany MSc in EconomicsHEC Lausanne, Faculty of Business and EconomicsSwitzerland Master in Economics LMEC University of BolognaItaly While this list offers many top programs from across the continent, feel free to browse our broader list of courses and programs found here. Photo credit: Meagan
As admissions season for Master’s programs in Europe gets underway, we thought we would help you narrow your search by posting a list of 15 Top Master’s Programs in Economics, grouped by country. Back in January we posted the Top Research Institutions in Europe, based on RePEc rankings. The list below moves beyond rankings to include personally selected institutions from across Europe that offer highly acclaimed Master’s programs in a range of disciplines and specializations.
Women in Economics: Bridging the Gender Gap
When examining the specific field of economics, women are quite underrepresented, and the gap has widened over the past decades. In the United States, there are nearly 3 male economics majors for every female, which is a significantly greater proportion than 20 years ago, as can be seen in the graph above. Following the research of Dr. Claudia Goldin, the Henry Lee Professor of Economics at Harvard University, it seems that this gender gap has nothing to do with ability and everything to do with confidence, perceptions and career goals. Women tend to be more discouraged than men by low grades in introductory economics courses, and tend to be less confident with a similar level of ability. Furthermore, female students are often under-informed about the wide range of career paths available to economics graduates, including research and policy positions in issues ranging from social inclusion to the environment to migration and development. Yet, with Janet Yellen joining the ranks of female central bank leaders of countries including Russia, Israel and South Africa, the number of women in high-level economics positions is growing, and their potential for impact is great. Dr. Goldin points out, however, that the gender gap at the top will remain broad if more women don’t start to close it at the university level. In order to begin this process, Dr. Goldin encourages a re-framing of the field itself – moving away from the perception that economics is all about hard numbers and towards a recognition of the human element inherent within the discipline. Moreover, open conversations regarding the work/life balance can help women feel more confident as they traverse the difficult road towards professorships and other careers. According to our own Economics Job Market Report from 2013, work/life balance was ranked second out of 13 factors economists from around the world consider when choosing a job, underscoring the importance of this issue for everyone, and highlighting the usefulness of frank discussions on this topic. As a way to support the many burgeoning and established women economists who might be reading this blog, we wanted to provide a few links to resources relevant to you and your career. Please peruse these links and feel free to add more in the comments section! American Economics Association Committee on the Status of Women in the Economics Profession (CSWEP) European Economic Association Standing Committee on Women in Economics (WinE) CSWEP Mentoring Materials Top Ranked Female Economists International Association for Feminist Economics Diversifying Economic Quality: A Wiki for Instructors and Departments A Bloomberg series profiling Women in Economics The graph at the top of this post was created by INOMICS using data from the OECD study published in 2011.
As of 2011, significantly more women than men completed secondary education in an astounding 32 of the 34 OECD member countries, according to a study by OECD researchers. On average, women accounted for 58% of graduates overall, though the range between countries is quite great. Moreover, the numbers vary tremendously across disciplines, with the areas of health & welfare and arts & humanities still heavily female, while math & science remain overwhelmingly male.