Higher education recruitment is entering a period of profound transformation.Across Europe and globally, universities are facing shrinking domestic student pools, rising cost concerns, and increasingly skeptical prospective students. At the same time, the digital discovery process has fundamentally changed. Students no longer simply search Google for programs—they ask AI assistants, browse professional communities, and gather insights across multiple platforms before ever contacting an admissions office.

The European Council has appointed Boris Vujčić as the new Vice-President of the European Central Bank (ECB).

Here at INOMICS we are always on the lookout for a good econ read. Here is a selection of new economics book releases from the first quarter of 2026 (okay, one from the very end of 2025!). Our selection includes three new works on labour economics, with a focus on social welfare and economic development.Additionally we highlight two new books relevant for economic methodology, including a major new textbook for students on microeconomics, as well as a new book bridging the gap between behavioral economics and empirical methods.The final three books in our round-up include an eclectic mix of focuses, from an analysis of the status of the dollar as the primary reserve currency in the international economy, an analysis of the role of women in the international economy through prominent case studies like Taylor Swift, through to a new work looking at AI in Economics.Whether you are a student of economics or you are simply interested in economic topics, we wish you happy reading.

If you are an undergraduate student of economics, the prospect of a Master’s, MRes or PhD can feel hard to picture. You might be wondering what the pace is like, how mathematical the first term really is, and what “graduate-level” expectations look like day to day.One practical way to find out is to take part in a summer school designed specifically as a bridge into postgraduate study. These courses introduce more advanced methods than most undergraduate programmes cover in depth, and they help you identify what to strengthen before you apply.

The Royal Economic Society has awarded the 2025 Prize to Grischa Perino, Robert Ritz, and Arthur van Benthem for their significant contribution in understanding climate policy interactions.