With English being considered the “must-have language”, is there a need for economists to learn a foreign language, or does it concern only those who work or want to work in the business field in a non-English speaking country?

In between the common subdisciplines of economics like international or financial economics, lie many much smaller specializations, for example the economics of language. The term “economics of language“ is defined by François Grin, to be “the paradigm of mainstream theoretical economics and uses the concepts and tools of economics in the study of relationships featuring linguistic variables, it focuses principally, but non exclusively, on those relationships in which economic variables also play a part”.

The move from high school to university or college can be a daunting one, often made more difficult by the question ‘what am I going to study.’ This is naturally influenced by personal interests, past experiences, parents, friends, and teachers, but when it comes down to it, it is the student that has to decide what is interesting for them. I have taken a troll around the Internet to see what people have to say in favour of studying economics and come up with some interesting answer.

Been meaning to brush up on your econometric skills, not got round to it, and now worried you won't be able to due to the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic? No fear - there's plenty of studying you can do from the comfort of your own home online. While nothing beats face-to-face interaction between student and teacher, online courses have other advantages, not least being that you can study when you want and at your own pace.

In these weird times, many (though by no means all) of us find ourselves with a lot of time on our hands, stuck at home with not much to do. But actually, there are plenty of things you can get stuck into to keep you busy, and not all of them involve watching ten hours of Netflix a day. We here at INOMICS are big fans of convincing people to learn a language, because we think it's one of the best things you can do for your brain. And the modern world lends itself nicely to this undertaking: technology, downloadable directly to the smartphone, turns your social media device into a potent learning machine. There are a range of language learning apps available, many free, many with paid features, all useful in their own way. What better way to spend the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic?

The list of reasons to learn a new language is endless. Not only does it open up a whole other world of culture and history for you, there's a growing body of research which suggests becoming multilingual can help stave off dementia, improve your memory, improve your cognitive control, and even make your happier and boost your pleasure levels. Employers also often say they value bilingual candidates more highly, and much research shows after learning one new language, learning others becomes easier. Research also suggests humans' well-being is closely linked to the achievement of meaningful goals in life, meaning speaking that extra tongue could boost your life satisfaction. Aside from all that, while it can be hard at times, it's really fun!

For those considering options for studying a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree, Scandinavia is a tempting location. With a long and rich cultural history, and specialist institutions for a range of academic disciplines, Scandinavian countries are marking out their strengths on the international academic stage.

We spoke to top hiring managers Kalpana Kochhar, Director of Human Resources Department at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Jordi Roca Solanelles, Head Manager of the University of Barcelona’s School of Economics (UB) and Professor Dr Florian Englmaier, Professor for Organisational Economics as the Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich (LMU), to discover what challenges economics post-graduates should expect from prospective careers in some of the biggest institutions around.

There are a large number of English-language master's degrees available in universities across Europe. If you are planning to apply for a master's program which is taught in English, then you will need to provide proof of your English language abilities. One test used to measure language skills is the TOEFL, which you need to take before applying for a master's.

If you're planning to do a master's degree in the US and you're not a native English speaker, then you'll need to do a test to demonstrate your English proficiency before applying for your master's course. The TOEFL is a popular English assessment which is commonly used by international students when applying to universities in the US.

When you're applying for an MBA program, there are so many things to consider: Finding the right course in the right location, choosing a concentration, looking at long-term employment options... there's a lot of information that you'll need. To help you with this important decision, we're compiling a list of the entry requirements for some of the best MBA courses around the world, so you know what you need to aim for.

Are you thinking about doing an MBA? With so many courses and options to choose from, it can seem a bit overwhelming. To help you break down your application process into more manageable chunks, we're looking at some of the key requirements of MBA programs both in the US and in Europe.

Are you thinking about studying for an MBA? Then you might be looking for a course, selecting a concentration, or researching the employment options that will be open to you.

Today, over 43,000 foreign students are studying in the Czech Republic and their interest is growing as the offer of study programmes and courses taught in English is increasing. Jasna Brkić from Serbia, a Master degree student of Business Management at the Masaryk University in Brno, shares her story and explains why she chose the Czech Republic for her studies:    

The Czech Republic offers over 1,000 study programmes in English at all degree levels and across all fields. Over 42,000 foreign students are studying in the country in Czech, English or other foreign languages.  Wondering how it is to be one of them?  Read on to learn about the experiences of Jana-Aletta Thiele, a postgraduate student of Medical Faculty in Pilsen, Charles University. And find your study programme at www.studyin.cz!

When you're working on interdisciplinary topics, it's extremely helpful to have contact with other students and researchers in related fields. Getting to know people who are working in different academic disciplines to you gives you new perspectives on your research, as well as improving your communication skills and broadening your knowledge. So interdisciplinary summer schools are the ideal chance to interact with other students and get in practise at presenting your work to an interdisciplinary audience.

Check out our Top Summer Schools 2021

It's early to start planning for the summer – but if you want to make the most of your time as a student, you need to look ahead! If you have time off between semesters in your undergraduate or masters degree, you can use that time to attend a summer school. These residential courses typically run from between one week and three weeks, and involve teaching on specialist topics, and group workshops too. Plus, they are are great opportunity to network with fellow students and researchers in your field.

Summer schools are ideal locations for not just learning new skills and ideas, but also for networking with your peers and senior figures in your field. Plus they can be a lot of fun! If you have the time over the summer break, spending a week or two at a summer school can be an helpful step along your career path.

Check out our top summer schools 2021