If you're applying for a PhD, the process can be rather complex, so here are our answers to some frequently asked questions about applications. If you plan to start your PhD application this autumn, download our free guide "How to successfully apply to a PhD in Economics".

As businesses and individuals become more aware of climate change and environmental issues, a stronger focus is being put on the ways in which we use resources – especially energy. A whole industry has grown which supports the production and management of energy resources, as well as advising companies on how they can become more energy-efficient. With the growth of this industry, new career paths have opened up from many fields which are related to energy research or consumption. 

To keep up to date with the latest news in economics and business, there's more that you can do than just reading! Events such as lectures, workshops, and debates are excellent ways to keep up with developments in your field. Plus, they give you the chance to meet and network with other people in your field and to hear new perspectives on your work. If you're interested in attending events in economics or finance, then today's article is a list of some of the greatest events coming up soon from around the world.

The big day is here – you're finally ready to hand in your PhD thesis! Years of work have culminated in this one piece of work, and you're prepared to submit it to your university office. You're almost certainly stressed, exhausted, and very glad to be done. But there are a few quick points you need to check before you formally submit your thesis, so take a look at this checklist and make sure everything is in order.

Do you want to study at a university at the undergraduate or postgraduate level, or join a professional organisation in an English-speaking country? Then IELTS Academic is designed for you.

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.

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.

Guilherme Morlin is a Brazilian currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Economics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Guilherme is also our lucky winner of $100 Amazon Gift Card in the recent INOMICS Review Prize Draw. Students and researchers from all over the world took part in the contest by submitting reviews of the universities and institutions where they study or work.

Carolina Pan is an Argentine student, currently in the last year of her PhD program in International Economics at Brandeis University, USA. We chose her as the winner of our Conference Grant Contest 2015 and awarded her with a €500 grant. The prize helped her to attend the 3rd Geography of Innovation Conference organized by the University of Toulouse and Sciences-Po Toulouse in France. Participants from over 50 countries took part in the contest by submitting short explanations about their personal reasons for going to their chosen event. You can see her winning answer here.

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.

Globalization has had a significant impact on the structure and function of organizations. Nowadays, HR and student recruiters are eager to offer positions to candidates from all over the world who provide a diversity of talent, the best skills and cultural adaptability. Previously we have discussed why hiring an international candidate can benefit your workplace and the multiple benefits of international students for universities. Now we want to go deeper into the topic of diversity recruitment and present some techniques to gather the best talent for your institution and maintain a happy, multicultural team.

If you want to learn about a new topic, to brush up on your skills, or to meet more people in your field, then summer schools are an ideal opportunity. Generally aimed at undergraduates, masters students, PhD students, researchers and professionals, these short courses involve teaching, discussion, and group projects.

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.

Do you want to brush up on your academic skills, to meet more students in your field, and to have fun visiting a new place over the summer holidays? Then you should consider attending a summer school! Usually such schools last between one and three weeks, and involve travelling to a new city and attending lectures, workshops, and group activities related to a specialist academic field.

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.

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.

As a business or management student, you'll know the importance of acquiring specialist skills, and of building your network. Summer schools can help with both of these goals, giving you chances to learn about new topics and to get to know other students, researchers, and professors in your field.

If you're working your way through your degree, you may well be required to write a number of essays for your assessment. This can be tricky if you don't have a lot of experience in essay writing, so today we're sharing tips on how to manage the essay-writing process.

One great way to keep up to date with the latest news in your field is to listen to podcasts. These are regularly broadcast audio programs which address specific topics, and often include interviews, discussions, and news. We've previously covered some of the best podcasts in economics, but today we're looking at podcasts in the field of finance.

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.

Applying for an academic job, like in most other professions, requires a long and sometimes exhausting process of applications and interviews. And like in every other profession, every applicant wants to be as efficient as possible and quickly succeed in getting his or her dream job with as little effort and fuss as possible.