What is Stata? If you want to work in econometrics, chances are you’ll need to learn to use a statistical analysis package like Stata. Stata is one of the most widely used software packages to help students and researchers explore, summarise and analyse complicated datasets. The software is available in several different versions which differ mainly in the number of variables allowed in memory.

With discussion of the Polar Vortex still fresh as storms once again crash through northern and eastern North America, and the usual grey skies still hang low over much of Europe, it’s perhaps just the right time to start thinking about summer. While beach vacations and outdoor adventure might be what’s on your mind, now is also the time to start planning for summer school.

With ice on the ground and a chill in the air (at least for those living in northern climes), it is nice to think about the summer and all of the welcome things it brings: warmth, flowers, and, of course, new career and training opportunities.

Economists very often work with statistical software that is used to build economic models and conduct econometric analyses. Learning to work with and analyze data is thus an essential skill for young economists. To be competitive as an economist in the job market, demonstrable skills and experience using some of the popular analysis and forecasting software environments are a must.

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.

If you're a student and you'd like the chance to refine your language skills, to travel to a new place, and to enhance your CV, then you should consider attending a summer school. The opportunity to study and acquire specialist skills over the summer is useful for everyone, but especially for students of languages! For those who are studying Spanish, here we've compiled a list of the best summer schools for 2016. You'll have lots of opportunities to practise your speaking skills, as well as to brush up on your grammar and cultural knowledge.

Even if you are not interested in earning a full graduate degree in Spain, there are many alternatives for spending time there as a student. Spain is one of the most popular destination countries for students spending a summer, semester or full year abroad. At the Master’s level, you have a number of different options available to you, which we will outline in this article.