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Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
5 premier colleges for pursuing Economics beyond Ivy Leagues
Image representation : Getty Images Economics and econometrics form the intellectual backbone of policy-making, market analysis, and financial innovation in the modern world. In the United States, studying these disciplines offers students a blend of theoretical foundations, quantitative methods, and practical applications that open pathways into careers in government, finance, consulting, academia, and global institutions. As economies become more data-driven and interconnected, the ability to interpret, model, and forecast economic activity has never been more valuable. While Ivy League institutions often dominate discussions of elite economics education, several non-Ivy League universities stand out globally for their academic strength, research impact, and graduate employability. These universities not only rival their Ivy League counterparts but often lead the field in innovation, data science integration, and policy relevance. Drawing on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 – Economics & Econometrics, here's a closer look at six outstanding U.S. universities that deserve attention from aspiring economists and policy leaders. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Ranked 1st globally in Economics & Econometrics with an overall subject score of 98.8, MIT is a research powerhouse that merges analytical rigor with practical problem-solving. Known for its highly quantitative approach, the Department of Economics has produced numerous Nobel laureates and John Bates Clark Medal winners. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This new air conditioner cools down a room in just seconds News of the Discovery Undo Its strengths lie in microeconomic theory, macroeconomic policy, econometric methods, and development economics. Students benefit from MIT's interdisciplinary ecosystem, collaborating with engineering, data science, and urban planning experts to address complex global issues. University of Chicago With a global rank of 4th and an overall score of 94.2, the University of Chicago is synonymous with rigorous, evidence-based economic inquiry. The 'Chicago School' of economics has shaped modern economic theory, particularly in areas such as market efficiency, monetary policy, and law and economics. Students are trained to think critically, challenge conventional wisdom, and apply mathematical modeling to real-world challenges. Its influence extends far beyond academia, with alumni shaping policy and economic frameworks around the world. University of California, Berkeley (UCB) Ranked 6th globally with an overall score of 93.4, UC Berkeley has long been a center for economic thought and policy innovation. Its Department of Economics is known for pioneering research in environmental economics, international trade, and inequality studies. Situated in a vibrant hub for social activism and technology, Berkeley gives students unique opportunities to apply econometric analysis to pressing societal issues. Its graduates are frequently sought after by top-tier economic research institutions, government agencies, and multinational firms. Northwestern University Ranked 12th globally in Economics & Econometrics with an overall score of 88.4, Northwestern University in Evanston, United States, is renowned for its strong analytical focus and interdisciplinary approach. Its Department of Economics excels in microeconomic theory, applied econometrics, and industrial organization, offering students a rigorous academic environment enriched by research collaborations with policy institutes and global economic organizations. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Ranked 13th worldwide with an overall score of 87.9, UCLA delivers a robust economics program with specializations in macroeconomic modeling, game theory, and development economics. The department's collaborative culture allows students to work with experts across disciplines such as political science, statistics, and public policy. Its strong connections to both public and private sector organizations provide graduates with a competitive edge in research, consulting, and government roles. New York University (NYU) At 15th place globally with a score of 87.6, NYU's Department of Economics benefits from its prime location in the financial capital of the world. The university's research strengths include international finance, economic growth, and applied econometrics. NYU offers students access to Wall Street internships, policy research centers, and an extensive global campus network, enabling a truly international economic education. Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Science
- Irish Examiner
'Little evidence' of improved exam performance or retention rates in first ten years of Deis
There is "little evidence" the first decade of the Deis programme improved exam performance or school retention rates, new research suggests. An in-depth analysis of the first 10 years of the programme for disadvantaged schools found little to no effect on Junior Certificate achievement, or on progression to Leaving Cert. First introduced in 2006, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (Deis) programme has undergone several expansions in recent years, now supporting one in four students. The study, led by Dr Darragh Flannery, associate professor at the University of Limerick, used national, school-level data from a sample of almost 580 post primary schools, 182 of which were designated as Deis. Using a regression discontinuity design, the study found "little evidence" of improved achievement or retention outcomes in post-primary schools that participated in Deis from 2007, one year into the programme, up to 2016. Published in the international journal Studies in Educational Evaluation, it also found no significant impact from the programme on the percentages of low or high achievers in English and maths. The study does highlight a number of important caveats. It notes it is possible 'some aspects of Deis are having positive effects which are partially cancelled out by other countervailing effects', such as teacher burnout or high teacher turnover. There may also be a 'cumulative effect' of students attending both a Deis primary and Deis post-primary school, it added. 'Another possibility is that aspects of Deis could be having stronger positive impacts in more disadvantaged contexts which were not included in the current analysis, which focused by design on schools within a narrow band around the original identification threshold.' The study notes investment in the scheme now accounts for almost 3% of the overall budget for education, although a 'precise description' is difficult due to co-financing across different Government departments. While Ireland is recognised for having comparatively high levels of achievement in reading, maths and science, as well as a high rate of school retention, there are well-recognised differences in these rates associated with student and school socio-economic status. No 'specific objectives' around increasing achievement scores or improving retention rates were specified in the original plan for Deis, the study notes. However, researchers focused on these outcomes 'given the data availability and perceived focus in wider education policy'. This was relative to similar schools not included in Deis during the same timeframe. Dr Darragh Flannery, associate professor in the Department of Economics at UL, said the findings supported calls for a stronger culture of evaluation of the programme's outcomes and impact. 'Our null findings regarding the impact of Deis align with the recognised need for a coordinated policy response to tackling inequality. It is increasingly acknowledged that schools alone cannot solve such a social problem.'
Irish Times
30-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Letters to the Editor, July 30th: On tariffs, jobs and houses, protest voices, and bargain cycle lanes
Sir, – Early days to assess the EU/US proposed trade deal but one thing is clear. The EU side has made major concessions. They have accepted a 15 per cent tariff on most exports from the EU to the US, but no similar tariffs must apply to US exports to the EU. Under the deal, the EU has also agreed to invest $600 billion in the US economy and to buy $750 billion of energy from the US over the next three years. No similar commitments apply it seems on the US side. This outcome partly reflects the difficulty of getting sufficient agreement among member states on a tougher stance to be taken by the EU, Ireland being one of the main countries opposed to adopting a stronger EU position and thereby weakening the overall EU negotiating stance. READ MORE A much bigger issue though is the unstated (in public) threat of the US withdrawing its security guarantees for Europe, something almost unthinkable before the present administration came to power. The consequences of this for Ukraine and Europe (including Ireland) would be incalculable and worth avoiding, if necessary, by making major concessions on the trade front. From a US viewpoint, a reasonable expectation perhaps given its commitment of equipment and personnel to European defence. Until Europe is less dependent on the US to guarantee its security, it will have a weak bargaining hand when it comes to trade. – Yours, etc, JOHN O'HAGAN, Department of Economics, Trinity College, Dublin. Sir, – Faced with the threat of 30 per cent US tariffs, the EU blinked. To shield its economy – notably the German and French car industries in my opinion – it settled for 15 per cent across-the-board tariffs and to boot, tossed in a few more sweeteners to American firms. Whatever became of the much-touted Anti-Coercion Instrument, the EU's so-called 'big bazooka'? The Irish Government, meanwhile, has put a sunny gloss on the deal – especially regarding pharmaceuticals. Yet Trump has made it plain, pharmaceuticals is next in his sights, and the agreement itself is vague. When the day comes, I'd be surprised if our EU partners show much solidarity with Ireland's pharma sector, given past criticism of the tax incentives to lure it here in the first instance. Yes, EU leaders faced a dilemma. But the leverage wasn't all entirely with America. US trade with the EU exceeds $600 billion annually, dwarfing the projected $90 billion in tariff revenue. The EU may have deemed it impolitic to press that point – but I've no qualms about confronting economic aggression. I'll be steering clear of overpriced coffee, fizzy drinks, forgettable burgers, and smartphones still awaiting meaningful AI – not to mention FSD cars that still need drivers. If dollars speak louder than diplomacy, let mine do the talking. – Yours, etc, JOHN McCRORY, Lucan, Dublin. Sir, – I read with interest the response of different European leaders to the proposed EU-US trade agreement. Let's call a spade a spade. US president Donald Trump's bullying tactics have worked to such an extent that some leaders now consider 15 per cent tariffs on EU goods to the US a successful outcome. The tariffs on many US goods to EU will be zero. Reciprocal rates how are you? – Yours, etc, BRIAN MANGAN, Ferns, Co Wexford. Sir, – I see that as part of the tariff agreement, Europe will purchase $600billion of US armaments. Presumably this will largely eliminate the large US deficit (in goods). If/when this happens will the one-sided tariffs fall away? Clearly, that von der Leyen one is a fearsome negotiator. – Yours, etc, BRIAN MURPHY Carrickmines Wood, Dublin 18. Sir, – Relief at the conclusion of an EU-US trade deal is understandable but to me it seems premature. Europe has made a huge concession to the United States and got nothing in return. Giving way to a bully is never a wise move as the likelihood is they will only come back for more. –Yours, etc, RONAN MURPHY, Greystones, Co Wicklow. Investment, housing and jobs Sir, – I too agree with Michael Gilmartin (July 26th) and Enda Scanlon (July 28th). Ireland has focused on attracting ever more inward investment over many years without weighing up the cost. It has become clear that these large multinationals are now the ones calling the shots and the current impetus to improve infrastructure appears to reflect their demands to a greater extent than those of our own citizens. How did we end up giving 50 per cent of our power supplies to data centres in Dublin? Ireland is a small country. We seem to think that our limited natural resources are inexhaustible. They are not. Our focus on financial wealth has resulted in rapid population growth. This has put overwhelming stress on our land, our water, our nature and our biodiversity. It is making daily life more challenging and putting decent housing out of reach of so many. – Yours, etc, CAROL SCOTT, Shankill, Dublin 18. Dancing feet Sir, – There is an old Irish phrase: 'Up here for thinking, down there for dancing'. Michael Flatley should stick to the dancing. – Yours, etc, TONY CORCORAN, Rathfarnham Dublin 14 Voices of protest on Gaza Sir, – Chris Fitzpatrick has correctly pointed out (Letters, July 28th) that Israel's campaign in Gaza in response to the appalling Hamas attack of October 7th has become, in its ferocity and forced starvation, a travesty of the Judaism that the ruling coalition government pretends to represent. But his impression that there are no Jewish voices of protest is not correct. Among the Jewish lobbies that have long opposed Israel's stance and advocated the two-state solution are Britain's Jews for Justice for Palestinians, who march in the current London demonstrations, and the Europe-wide network, JCall. The American equivalent, JStreet, is increasingly influential. Earlier this week, the American Jewish Committee, along with the Reform Movement, the largest Jewish denomination in America, issued statements declaring Israel 'culpable' in its Gaza campaign. In Israel this week, the prominent Jewish human rights organisation, B'Tselem, and the Physicians for Human Rights Israel both specifically labelled Israel's actions as 'genocide'. Former Israeli prime ministers, Ehud Barak and Ehud Olmert, in print and in television interviews, have characterised Israel's Gaza campaign as war crimes. And Israel's liberal daily newspaper Ha'aretz continues to report with total honesty on events in Gaza and the West Bank, and carries every day several op-ed pieces which nothing in these islands can rival for vituperation. Why is all this so little known? Perhaps partly because in newsworthiness it cannot compete with stories of bombing and starvation; and partly because it can make no impression whatever on a regime that is blind to all but its fanatical fantasies. Only determined action by the international powers might have an effect. But, rhetoric aside, I suspect they may be too distracted by presidents Trump and Putin to get around to that. – Yours, etc, LOUIS MARCUS, Dublin 16. Sir, –I was troubled by two letters published on July 28th that, while expressing concern about Gaza, shifted focus on to Jews around the world, urging them to speak out or risk complicity. This places moral coercion on Jews solely because of their identity – something we should not accept, and indeed don't accept, when applied to other groups. Criticism of Israeli policy is not only legitimate, it is regularly voiced by Israelis and Jews globally, including many who strongly support the country. But when Jews are called upon to denounce Israel solely because they are Jewish, it echoes a troubling pattern. One letter also quotes Jewish scripture to suggest Jews have failed their own values: a rhetorical move with a long and damaging history in Christian Europe, even if unfamiliar to many Irish readers. Definitions of anti-Semitism used by the Irish Government and leading academics distinguish clearly between criticism of Israel and collective blame of Jews. I hope future letters will reflect that distinction. – Yours, etc, YOTAM GARDI, Inchicore, Dublin 8. Sir, – Sally Hayden's article 'From a viewing platform in Israel, ' war tourists' pay to see Gaza's ruins,' (July 28th) is an example of investigative journalism at its best. The Israeli mindset is now so far down the rabbit hole of ethnic cleansing it beggars belief. Even the last line where one of the complaints, from people coming to view the carnage, consisted of the potholes on the road leading to the viewing platform! – Yours, etc, JUDY BURKE, Rosscarbery, Co Cork. Sir, – In 1847, at the height of the Irish famine, Charles Villiers, the Earl of Clarendon, was appointed the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He arrived during the second year of the Great Hunger. His reports on the scale of the crisis were regularly discounted by a government that deferred to the permanent head of the Treasury, Sir Charles Trevelyan. Despairing of effective famine relief, Clarendon suggested to the prime minister, Lord Russell, that 'there is not another legislature in Europe that would disregard such suffering as now exists in the west of Ireland or coldly persist in a policy of extermination'. Unfortunately, had Villiers been writing today about Gaza, the word 'genocide' would replace 'extermination' and every legislature in Europe would, in fact, be guilty of disregarding such suffering! – Yours, etc, COLIN P DOHERTY, Head of School of Medicine, Trinity College Dublin 2. Bargain cycle lanes Sir, – Olga Barry asks if the €45 million allocation for the 6km cycle lane between Dundrum and Dún Laoghaire will make it the most expensive cycle lane ever built in Ireland (Letters, July 28th). In fact that dubious record surely goes to the 6km cycle lane between Clontarf and Connolly Station which cost an astonishing €70 million to complete before it opened last year, after two years of endless disruption to local residents. The Dundrum to Dún Laoghaire project would appear to be a bargain by comparison. – Yours, etc, BARRY WALSH Clontarf, Dublin 3. The BBC and radio silence Sir, – Well, the BBC have done it! They have taken away BBC's Radio Three and Four, unless one is living in the UK. As an Irish person who has listened to these stations all my life I am feeling bereft. How that leaves the millions of British citizens around the world I can only imagine, and I wonder why on earth this decision has been made. From a purely selfish viewpoint I shall miss these stations terribly during the day. For the summer one looks forward to the Proms on Radio Three, and now I shall have to do without them. With failing eyesight I watch very little television and anyway my love of radio has always superseded any other form of entertainment. Oh BBC, what were you thinking of? – Yours, etc, ITA McCORMACK, Maynooth, Co Kildare. Diamond cutters Sir – Sunday's All Ireland football final was a wonderful occasion but who came up with the idea that the diamond patterned cutting of the grass was a good idea? For those of us watching on TV, and doubtless for those on the upper tiers of the stand, the pattern was confusing and headache-inducing. – Yours, etc, JOHN MacKENNA, Royal Oak, Co Carlow. Busy busy, must fly Sir, – As the manager of a unit in a large organisation, one of the ways in which I judged the enthusiasm of the members of my team was the speed with which they walked down a corridor. ( 'The greatest part of any job is learning to look busy, ' July 26th). Those who walked slowly were rarely upgraded to positions of responsibility. –Yours, etc, FINBAR KEARNS, Piercestown, Co Wexford. Lucia Joyce and Carl Jung Sir, – It was nice to see modern dancer Lucia Joyce, who was celebrated as 'l'Irlandaise' in 1920s Paris, make an appearance in Frank McNally's Diary (July 25th) celebrating Carl Jung's 150th birthday on July 26th. Lucia, who described Jung as 'that big fat Swiss Man trying to get hold of my soul', would have turned 118 on the same day. The cult psychotherapist must have got a shock when this cosmic coincidence of birth dawned on him. He too suffered from psychosis, like his mother. He also wrote of his own fear of 'doing a schizophrenia', and boasted two personalities (his own contemporary self, and Zarathustra). Could his dismissal of Lucia's lost poetry as 'psychotic', therefore be considered a case of kettle calling the pot black? James Joyce considered the same writing to be 'anticipations of a new literature'. As for Lucia's 'diagnosis', she had as many as she had doctors. One concluded: 'Whatever it is she will soon get over it.' Whatever the correct diagnosis, Lucia certainly was an artist ahead of her time, in the wrong gender, and ultimately had to pay the price of definitive incarceration and erasure. We can't turn the clock back, but on her 118th birthday, why not reclaim her legacy as a groundbreaking artist, who struggled perhaps with at least as many mental health challenges as the widely celebrated big old fat Swiss man who failed to get hold of her soul. – Yours, etc, DEIRDRE MULROONEY, Lower Grand Canal Street, Dublin 2.
Business Recorder
26-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Economist presents research book to Japanese envoy
KARACHI: Renowned economist and academic Professor Dr. Abdul Waheed, presented his latest edition of the book 'Quantitative Research Methods: A Practical Approach' to Japan's Ambassador to Pakistan, Mr. Shoichi Akamatsu, and the Consul General of Japan in Karachi, Mr. Hattori Masaru, during a recent visit to the Japanese Consulate here. Invited on special invitation, Dr. Waheed discussed academic and research collaborations during the meeting and shared copies of his book, which offers a comprehensive guide to research methodologies and quantitative techniques. Aimed at students of BS, MPhil, and PhD levels, the book's second edition—published in 2025—features enhanced learning tools such as datasets, discussion questions, self-assessment tests, and PowerPoint slides to support research training. Professor Dr. Abdul Waheed currently serves as the Chairman of the Department of Economics at the University of Karachi. He is widely recognized for his expertise in quantitative development analysis, particularly in addressing economic challenges in South Asia. A recipient of the Japanese government scholarship, Dr. Waheed earned his PhD from Nagoya University in 2005. His doctoral and postdoctoral research in Japan focused on macroeconomic modeling and debt reduction strategies for Pakistan. Notably, he developed Pakistan's Financial Social Accounting Matrix (SAM) under a prestigious JSPS fellowship. In 2007, he was invited by the South Korean government to present this research internationally. With over three decades of academic and research experience, Dr. Abdul Waheed continues to contribute significantly to the field of economics and research education in Pakistan and beyond. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
When Afghan children spoke in Malayalam to Kerala's General Education Minister V. Sivankutty
'So, who's our Prime Minister?' Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty asked in Malayalam, smiling at the five children seated before him at Rose House, his official residence, on Sunday (July 13, 2025) morning. 'Narendra Modi,' came the answer from eleven-year-old Ahmad Mozamel Rahimi. Mr. Sivankutty shot off the next question, 'Who's our Chief Minister?' The young Afghan boy paused only for a moment before replying, 'Pinarayi Vijayan.' 'And our Education Minister?' The mischievous query from Mr. Sivankutty sparked laughter all around. Ahmad Mozamel Rahimi, his sister Marwa Rahimi (12) and brother Ahmad Mansoor Rahimi, 8 1/2 — all three students at the Government Higher Secondary School, Sreekaryam, were on a visit to Rose House with their younger siblings five-year-old Ahmad Maher Rahimi and three-and-a-half-year-old Mahnaz Rahimi. They were accompanied by their parents Shafiq Rahimi and Zarghona Rahimi and the children's class teachers Beena M.V. and Latha R. The family from Kabul moved to Thiruvananthapuram in 2021 when Mr. Shafiq Rahimi joined the Department of Economics of the University of Kerala as a Research Scholar in Economics. 'I met the children when I visited the school. So I invited the family over to have breakfast with us today. Our public schools have many students from outside Kerala and even from abroad,' Mr. Sivankutty said. Mr. Rahimi had decided to move to Thiruvananthapuram on completing his post graduation in Hyderabad. Ms. Zarghona Rahimi is a homemaker. 'Kerala is a very beautiful place. But this is our last year here. We will be returning soon,' he said. He says he had looked up Kerala before moving here. He described the southern Indian state as a very safe place to live in. The couple from Afghanistan has six children in all, but the eldest, 16-year-old Ahmad Moosawer Rahimi who is now a Plus One student here, was not present on Sunday. Having spent some years in Kerala, the children, especially 11-year-old Mozamel, appear to have become quite adept in handling Malayalam, often considered a tough proposition for non-native speakers. 'Nalla schoolaanu [It's a good school], smart classrooms, Nalla teachers,' he said, when the Minister wanted to know whether they were comfortable at their State government-run school. At home, the children speak Dari, one of the two major languages of Afghanistan. The older children say they picked up Malayalam as well as Hindi speaking to friends at school. On being told that the family would be returning next year, Mr. Sivankutty encouraged the youngsters to tell their Afghan friends to visit Kerala. On their arrival at Rose House on Sunday morning, the family was warmly welcomed by R. Parvathy Devi, the Minister's wife and a former member of the Kerala Public Service Commission. After breakfast, the Afghan family also posed for a photograph with the Minister and his wife. The Sreekaryam school's School Management Committee chairman Suresh Kumar S. and the Parent Teacher Association president Gopakumar R. were also present.
