Discover 18 opportunities in Teaching

The increasing importance of evidencing teaching effectiveness In recent years, the UK higher education environment has noticeably changed. Research Assessment Exercises and then the Research Excellence Framework have highlighted the importance of academics not only being research- active but regularly publishing high quality outputs in internationally recognised academic journals.

Being a Teaching Assistant (TA) at a university is rewarding, but also tough, particularly when you’re just starting out and learning the ropes. Perhaps you might appreciate some guidance - roll on INOMICS top tips for econ TAs who are preparing for their first role. Oh, and congratulations by the way! 

Lecturers, professors, and teachers spend ever-increasing amounts of time dealing with bureaucracy, box ticking and completing performance reviews, and ever-dwindling time doing the things they joined the profession to do: namely teaching and researching. While this should, and hopefully will, be addressed, for now, at least, it’s the way things are.

It’s a tough time to be a teacher. COVID has meant that schools and universities have closed and reopened countless times, leaving teachers oscillating between online learning and socially-distanced classes onsite, often with little support to facilitate the constant migration between the two. And yet, as a cohort they have responded remarkably, working tirelessly, innovatively, and determinedly to ensure that education has – mostly – been able to continue.

Teaching in any capacity, let alone in economics, can be a daunting prospect: the prepping, marking, not to mention the actual teaching. It’s hard work. This reality is most acutely felt when you are starting out or moving institutions and having to settle in somewhere new. In both instances, the pressure and workload can feel intense. That is why it's useful – if not essential – to be aware of all the support that's out there, most of which – conveniently – is free and accessible online. So, without further ado, here are ten of our favourite tools for helping teach economics.

If you're thinking about which direction to take your research career, one possibility is the professor route, teaching and researching in a university context. This is one of the most desirable jobs among young academics, and something that people often strive for. But what are the pros and cons of working as a college professor?

Although we’ve been told time and again that the pandemic doesn’t care about who you are, in reality it hasn’t affected everyone equally. Senior Editor William Pearse has already written about how COVID-19 has been harder on those from ethnic minorities and on poorer communities in the UK.

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.